Logan River flooding prompts call for Beaudesert, Leyburn residents to move to higher ground
While most southeast Queenslanders wake up on Wednesday to a reprieve from days of torrential rain, residents in some low-lying areas are being told to move to higher ground as nearby waterways flood. Emergency alerts released by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services late on Tuesday night advised residents of Leyburn and Beaudesert to “secure their belongings, warn their neighbors about the potential for flooding, and move to higher ground if in a low-lying area”.
The Canal Creek at Leyburn was due to reach a minor to moderate flood level overnight due to days of heavy rainfall. In Beaudesert, the Scenic Rim Local Disaster Management Group said properties would likely experience flooding as the Logan River reached the primary flood level. In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the “next 12-24 hours would be crucial, as the grounds are saturated, so there will be an immediate impact following any new rains”. “We know that we won’t reach the same levels as in 2017; however, it’s important to remember that things can change swiftly, so it’s important to be prepared. If heavy rains continue, there will likely be some lower-lying rural residential areas that may need to consider evacuation,” Mr. Christensen said.
“ … I am pleased to report that swift water rescue teams haven’t been called out for any rescues. I trust that we will continue practicing safe behavior to avoid putting ourselves and others at risk. “The silver lining is that our dams are starting to collect some rain, with Lake Moogerah now above 25 percent capacity. It was down as low as 12 percent last week.” Hundreds of millimeters of rain were dumped on southeast Queensland recently, including at Mount Tamborine, where 225mm was recorded on Tuesday, while nearby Springbrook recorded 193mm.
Last week, Mount Tamborine recorded 543.2mm, almost a third of its average yearly rainfall, while Springbrook recorded 412mm. The severe weather warning for the southeast for several days was canceled on Tuesday night as the rainband continued to move offshore. The southeast is preparing for a mostly sunny day on Wednesday, with the weather bureau forecasting a top of 32C in Brisbane, with only a slight chance of showers early in the morning.
QUEENSLAND FLOOD WARNINGS
- Flood warning for the Maroochy and Mooloolah Rivers
- Major flood warning for the Bremer River, Warrill, and Laidley Creeks
- Major flood warning for the Logan River and a minor flood warning for the Albert River
- Flood warning for the Nerang and Coomera Rivers
- Moderate flood warning for the Condamine River and a minor flood warning for the Balonne River
- Major flood warning for the Macintyre River and ma oderate flood warning for the Weir River
- Moderate flood warning for the Moonie RiverReasonablee flood warning for the lower Warrego River
- Minor flood warning for the Paroo River
- Major flood warning for the Bulloo RiverLittler flood warning for the Barcoo and Thomson rivers
