Qld premier declares state of emergency - 紐澳

Qld premier declares state of emergency
May 20, 2009, 8:00 pm

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5579697/
qld-premier-declares-state-emergency/

Queensland's southeast is in the grip of the worst floods since the 1974
disaster, with one man killed and people trapped and stranded throughout the
region.

Premier Anna Bligh said rainfall across the state's southeast in the past 24
hours had led to the most extensive flooding since the 1974 floods, when the
Brisbane River broke its banks and inundated the surrounding areas.

"Advice from the Bureau of Meteorology is the wild weather could continue
through to Friday," she said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Minutes after Ms Bligh declared a state of emergency, Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd said he'd been briefed and his government stood ready to send in help.

"We are in close contact with the Queensland government, should there be any
specific requests for assistance," he said in Perth.

The premier will convene a meeting of the State Disaster Management Group at
8am (AEST) on Thursday.

In Surfers Paradise, a man was killed when a piece of metal struck a window
and hit him in the chest amid wind gusts of 100km/h.

Police declared an emergency situation in the tourist town, blocking off
streets as tables, chairs and even barbecues blew off the top of high-rise
buildings.

Brisbane was in chaos on Wednesday evening, after some of the heaviest rain
in years. Roads and watercourses were flooded, sparking many rescues.

The city of Ipswich, west of Brisbane, was all but cut off with floodwaters
closing the Ipswich Motorway and most alternative routes cut.

Ipswich councillor Paul Tully said Goodna, between Brisbane and Ipswich, had
been gripped by the worst floods since the catastrophic floods of 1974.

Some 28,000 homes and businesses were without power across the southeast on
Wednesday evening.

Queensland has long awaited a formal end to the southeast's worst-ever
drought. Ironically, flood waters were the trigger for the state government's
declaration that it's over.

A high tide on Wednesday evening is expected to push local flooding to its
peak, but forecasters have also warned there's no end in sight to the abysmal
weather. Rain and high winds are forecast to continue.

In Brisbane, efforts were underway to rescue 50 people trapped in vehicles
near the Royal Brisbane Hospital in suburban Herston.

Earlier, four people were pulled from floodwaters in the western suburb of
Pullenvale and houses evacuated after a landslide in The Gap.

Authorities were also struggling to restore power supplies to affected homes
and businesses.

An Energex spokeswoman said the Gold Coast and southern areas of Brisbane
were the worst hit, but other pockets in the southeast had also had supplies
cut.

About 50,000 Energex customers have been affected in the past 24 hours, she
said.

Earlier in the day, thousands of students were sent home early, and some had
to be evacuated as flash floods cut off schools.

SES crews had to ferry students at Pullenvale State School out to their
parents.

A spokeswoman for the Member for Moggill, Bruce Flegg, said the situation was
even worse at Brookfield State School.

"Teachers and students are isolated there, I'm not sure how many at this
stage," she said.

"Parents can't get to the school, but their children are being looked after
by teachers.

"I assume the SES will have to try to get them out because the water's so
high it could take a couple of days to fall."

Amid hundreds of emergencies, a large boat ramp at Jindalee was swept into
the Brisbane River after being hit by a log swept down by floodwaters.

There are also reports of bridges being washed away, with authorities trying
to warn drivers of hundreds of road closures.

The Bureau of Meteorology said that in the 24 hours to 7pm (AEST) Wednesday,
Brisbane's CBD had received 159mm of rain, Redcliffe north of Brisbane
141.6mm, Beerburrum north of Brisbane 236.6mm, and the Gold Coast 83.6mm.

But the figures for the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday were even more alarming.

Beerburrum had its wettest one-day period in 17 years with 302mm of rain.
Over the same period Redcliffe received 151mm, and Brisbane city 89mm - its
wettest 24 hours in eight years.

The mean May rainfall for Brisbane's CBD is 73.7mm.

The upside is that the combined levels of Brisbane's dams has jumped by 8.22
per cent to 67.5 per cent of capacity - the most water they've held since
2002.

Rain in the past 24 hours alone has added about 8.5 months' supply to the
system.

Severe weather, flood and coastal wind warnings remain current throughout the
southeast.

Ms Bligh said parents should listen to reports of school closures to be
issued by local media from 5.30am (AEST) on Thursday.

She said joint state and commonwealth-funded Natural Disaster Relief and
Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) applied from 6pm (AEST) on Wednesday.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has also triggered the city's Local
Disaster Management Group.

--
Gold Coast已有災情傳出了，在這新聞出來之前，某鄉民跟我說了。
希望在QLD的朋友大家都平安無事。

--
Take my hand,
You have to give me a chance.
I looked around and feel this time I can't pretend.
You're so light,
I'll make you fly through this night.
I can't keep on believe that you are all over my mind.

--