2 Jan 2011

22 towns and cities in Australia ‘flooded or isolated’

A warning about the rise in health problems is issued, as an area of Australia “bigger than France and Germany combined” struggles with rising flood waters.

200,000 residents have been forced out of their homes in 22 towns or cities in the northeast of the country after two weeks of torrential rain caused by what has been described as the worst flooding in almost 50 years.

Authorities carried out a search for a man believed to be missing after he went into the Fitzroy River in Queensland early on Sunday morning. Further north, in Burketown, the body of a missing woman was found in another flooded river. The 41-year-old disappeared on Saturday night when the car she was travelling in was washed away.

In the city of Rockhampton, Queensland, many homes were evacuated, the airport was closed and power was cut to some areas. Around 30 residents were staying at an evacuation centre, while others moved in with friends and relatives. Mayor Brad Carter warned that about 40 percent of the city could be affected by the surging waters, and residents could be forced to wait at least two weeks before returning home.

“We’re talking about potentially 4,000 properties, parcels of land, allotments, that will have water inundation in them,” he said.
“This could be the second or third largest flood that this region has ever known.”

While authorities warned about health risks from the water and the danger of crocodiles and snakes in flooded homes, one man said he was mainly concerned about looting. Kevin Martin moved everything he could out of his house on Friday, but told reporters he was returning to check on what remained.

“Make sure everything’s all right inside, make sure no-one’s looted the place. That’s all I’m really worried about at the moment,” he said.

This could be the second or third largest flood that this region has ever known Rockhampton Mayor

Flooding was not expected to reach a peak in some areas until today, and authorities said the water would not recede for at least a week.

Australia had its wettest spring on record this year, according to the national weather office, causing six rivers in Queensland to flood. Swollen rivers in New South Wales also caused damage to the wheat crop.

It has led to the biggest surge in wheat prices since 2007 as almost half of the crop was downgraded to less than milling quality because of the rain damage. That lowered global supplies, and sent prices up by around 45 per cent.

The floods have also pushed coking coal and thermal prices sharply higher and markets were keeping an eye on further disruptions. Queensland’s ports have an annual coal export capacity of 225 million tonnes.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the flooding as a “natural disaster” and said the government would contribute $1 million to a flood aid appeal.