Synopsis
Emergency alerts in northeastern Australia prompt evacuations as severe flooding looms. Townsville experiences significant rainfall, with authorities preparing for life-threatening conditions. Residents are urged to stay informed and ready for evacuations.Key Takeaways
- Emergency alerts issued for northeastern Australia.
- Townsville receives over 350 mm of rain in 18 hours.
- Residents in South Johnstone advised to evacuate.
- Evacuation centers established to assist those affected.
- Residents urged to prepare disaster plans and stay informed.
Sydney, Feb 1 (NationPress) Emergency alerts have been issued, prompting residents to consider evacuation due to severe flooding in the northeast of Australia.
In the far northern region of Queensland, residents were advised to brace for hazardous and potentially life-threatening flash floods after experiencing several days of heavy rainfall.
Townsville, the largest city in the impacted area, recorded a staggering 350 millimeters (mm) of rain over an 18-hour period leading up to Saturday morning, with officials cautioning that more rain is forthcoming.
A severe weather alert released by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) indicated that towns along a 270-kilometre coastline between Townsville and Babinda, further north, are at risk for life-threatening flooding.
State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy reported that emergency services responded to over 300 calls for assistance overnight, with 223 of those from Townsville.
Residents in the small town of South Johnstone, located just south of Babinda, have been instructed to evacuate, according to Xinhua news agency.
An evacuation center has been established, with plans for additional centers as needed.
Chelepy encouraged residents to develop a disaster preparedness plan, ensure they have ample food and fuel, and keep their electronic devices charged.
"The most critical action they can take is to stay updated with our communications," he emphasized.
Chris Watts, the area controller for the State Emergency Service, noted that emergency teams have readied flood boats and storm damage equipment.
Residents residing in flood-prone zones should be ready to evacuate.
The northern tropical coast of Queensland experienced rainfall totals up to 800 millimeters during the past week.
This substantial precipitation is attributed to three tropical low systems that developed offshore of Queensland.
