Queensland towns drenched as rain continues to wreak havoc
South-east Queensland can expect a few more days of flash flooding and traffic chaos before the rain eases off.
QFES Assistant Commissioner Andrew Short tells Ray Hadley the state emergency service took “well over 300 requests for assistance” over the last 24 hours.
Young kids were seen using boogie boards in the Kedron Brook, forcing SES volunteers to monitor the area well into the night.
The incident prompted the assistant commissioner to remind listeners of the risks of entering floodwater, which endangered at least one motorist last night.
Flash flooding closed the northbound lanes of Gympie Road at Carseldine and the Bruce Highway on-ramp at Griffin this morning, while a burst sewer main on the Centenary Highway added to the traffic chaos.
It's a traffic nightmare if you're travelling to the city from the western suburbs this morning! Lots of congestion in the suburbs due to the Centenary Highway closure. Please allow extra travel time. #RACQTrafficAdvice #BneTraffic pic.twitter.com/pI8cZHLi99
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) February 6, 2020
1500 homes were left without power in the Brisbane City area yesterday, and another 3000 Energex customers across the region experienced a blackout.
South of the border, the main street of Byron Bay now resembles a river, with motorists finding their vehicles partially submerged.
Mr Short was struck by the wild weather, with opposite ends of the country afflicted by fire and flood.
“Interestingly, Ray, last night… we had troops returning from the fires down south who’d finished their deployment, that were coming off the plane… walking into quite strong rain. It was quite an interesting scene to see.”
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