Townsville residents woke up to another wet morning on Wednesday after the region was hit with huge rainfall totals overnight, just over a month after a historic flood event.
In just three hours 147mm of rain fell at Townsville Airport, 146mm in Pallarenda, and 132mm at Louisa Creek. Bluewater received more than 200mm since 1:30am, a further 197mm in Toolakea and 173mm in Blackwater.
Two motorists were rescued from floodwaters after they became trapped in their car in the Hinchinbrook. Newscorp reports emergency services were called to Pombell Road on Helen’s Hill just after 6:30 last night, one woman was in floodwaters up to her neck for 20 minutes. Another woman in her 90’s was taken to Ingham Hospital in a stable condition.
Multiple schools, childcare centers and businesses also closed their doors this morning in a bid to keep drivers off dangerous roads. Queensland Police said those who had to travel into work would need to plan ahead with bus services suspended on Magnetic Island and parts of Townsville.
Road closures include Railway Ave between Boundary Street and Putt Street, Bayswater Road and Banfield Drive, Townsend Street, Hugh Street between Bayswater Road and Woolcock Street, Pilkington Street between Bayswater Road and Woolcock Street in Garbutt and Civil Road.
The Bureau forecasts six-hourly rainfall totals of 120 to 160 mm likely throughout the day, with isolated totals to 240 mm possible. Conditions should ease in the afternoon as the south-easterly wind surge weakens.
We can expect the worst of it to ease from midday this morning, but rain is forecast for the rest of the week.
The Bureau has issued a flood warning for the Bohle and Ross River this morning,
as well as the Black River and Bluewater creek as heavy rainfall continues this morning.
More rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the rest of the day which could cause water levels to rise further.
Be careful on our roads as there’s flash flooding reported at the intersection of Charles and Nathan street in Heatley
as well as Woodstock Giru road in Majors Creek.
Woolcock street is closed in Shaw, with water over the lower Bohle bridge, impacting the outbound lane towards Deeragun.
