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Brisbane braces for flood catastrophe
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By ninemsn staff with AAP
The Brisbane River is expected to break its banks on Thursday, with thousands fleeing the city. (AAP)
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Brisbane braces for flood catastrophe
Queensland's capital is bracing for a catastrophic flood disaster with the Brisbane River expected to peak on Thursday morning as a deluge of water surges toward the city.
Some 6500 homes are expected to be inundated when the river peaks, following flash flooding in Toowoomba and surrounding areas on Tuesday which left nine dead and 66 unaccounted for. (Read more: Child killed in Ipswich flood)
Premier Anna Bligh has warned the death toll could double with flood levels expected to go beyond the 5.45m that hit the city during the 1974 disaster, making it the worst flood in 118 years. (Read more: How the flood hit)
"By midnight today river levels at Ipswich will reach the 18-19m mark, peaking some time during Wednesday at around 21-22m,'' she said.
"By comparison the 1974 peak was 20m ...so in both Ipswich and Brisbane we are anticipating flood levels across the areas of '74 levels and above.
Hundreds fled the city on Tuesday afternoon, with internet traffic cameras showing a sea of headlights on freeways as locals scrambled to higher ground.
PHOTOS: Flash floods ravage Queensland FLOODWATCH: Send us your pictures
BING MAP: Places/rivers flooding right now
FLOOD ALERT: Ipswich streets in danger
Three-quarters of the state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone, giving police and emergency workers the authority to force evacuations.
They have now been made for the Brisbane, Bundaberg, Dalby, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Logan, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Roma, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Warwick and Redcliffe districts.
The Brisbane City Council has set up an evacuation centre at the RNA Showgrounds on Gregory Terrace at Bowen Hills next to the CBD.
Residents who want to stay at the centre are being told to bring pillows, sheets, any medication, spare clothing and any important papers such as insurance papers but people cannot bring their pets.
CBD exodus as workers flee
Brisbane worker Colin Wright said car parks along the river had been sandbagged and that ferry terminals were almost completely underwater.
Businesses were also closing throughout the city, he said, with workers rushing to get home.
"Public transport is running ... but it's impossible, bus stops are like 150 people deep trying to get home," Mr Wright told ninemsn.
"I'd describe it as mild panic, I've heard of people going into shops and taking everything off the shelves and it is about a 2 hour wait to get onto public transport right now.
"I've never seen anything like it before in my life."
Locals brace for unstoppable tide
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said forecasts showed some 6500 properties would be flooded in Brisbane ahead of an expected peak in the Brisbane River on Thursday. (Read more: 'Very scary' time for Brisbane)
Mr Campbell said the situation had deteriorated significantly since Monday, when only a few hundred homes had been expected to flood.
"The situation has obviously demonstrably deteriorated," he said after a meeting of Brisbane's disaster management group.
"Today is very significant, tomorrow is bad, and Thursday is going to be devastating for the residents and businesses concerned."
The warning came as Premier Bligh said the Bremer River in Ipswich would peak at 21m on Wednesday.
Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said up to one third of the city would be flooded and that hundreds of streets would be closed. (Read more: Ipswich to go under)
"People have got to prepare for the worst," he said.
Earlier Mr Pisasale said the Bremer River was expected to peak between 11pm (AEST) tonight and 1am tomorrow and river heights were expected to remain high for one or two days.
Fears of more flash floods
Another flash flood warning has been issued for people in the Southeast Coast District and the Darling downs and Granite Belt District, southeast of Dalby to Goondiwindi.
The heaviest rain is expected to fall in areas from Moorchydore to Warwick, including the Brisbane and Lockyer Valleys which were badly affected yesterday, and the Ipswich area.
"Heavy falls will lead to flash flooding and will worse existing river flooding," the Bureau of Meteorology said.
There are also severe storm warnings for parts of the Northern Tropical Coast, Tablelands, and Herbert and Lower Burdekin Forecast Districts.
Flash flooding is also expected to hit areas including Cairns, Ingham, Innisfail, Cardwell, Tully and Babinda.
Hundreds plucked to safety
An air evacuation was underway early Tuesday afternoon for 300 people at Forest Hill, west of Brisbane while at Laidley and Oakey residents were told to climb onto their roofs or find other higher ground until help could arrive.
Residents of Caboolture, Strathpine and Dayboro were also advised they should evacuate to higher ground immediately. (Read more here.)
Caboolture has been completely cut off and evacuation out of town by car is impossible.
Those in low lying areas who can do so have been urged to move to higher ground or prepare for rising water.
NSW towns also cut off
Meanwhile, about 4500 people have been cut off by floods in the north-eastern NSW towns of Bonaldo, Ewingar, Darkwood, and Upper Thora.
The ABC reports people in rural properties in Tenterfield are being moved to safety. The city of Grafton is protected by a levee but officials are expecting roads outside of the "protection zone" to go under.
Drivers travelling through northern NSW are warned that several highways have been closed due to flooding. (Read more: More than 1000 cut off in NSW
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