Flood clean-up starts in Qld towns

The clean-up has begun in the flood-ravaged Queensland towns of Charleville and Roma
as communities downstream brace for raging waters and the cost of a wet start to
2010 is counted.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on Wednesday visited Charleville, in the state's
southwest, where hundreds of people were evacuated from up to 500 damaged homes.
With almost three-quarters of Queensland's local government areas qualifying for
disaster relief to help with the costs of flooding since the start of the year, the
Infrastructure Association said the damage bill could rival that of Cyclone Larry in
2006.
Larry caused more than $1 billion damage, including about $550 million in economic
damage, $370 million in insurance claims and $216 million in disaster relief
payments to councils.
Floodwaters are dropping in Charleville and Roma, but are rising around St George to
the south, as record rainfall swells the Balonne River.
At 9am (AEST), the Balonne River at St George was at 7.62 metres and rising, causing
major flooding, with the peak expected to reach similar levels to the April 1990
flood that peaked at 12.24 metres.
Balonne Shire mayor Donna Stewart said she expected some homes in St George would be
flooded on Wednesday evening.
"We've had phone calls from landholders along the river systems (leading to St
George) who have been there for a lifetime and they are all saying the river levels
are the highest they have ever seen," Ms Stewart told AAP on Wednesday.
Extensive flooding is also expected in coming days at Dirranbandi, downstream from
St George.
Ms Bligh told reporters in Charleville that while the rain was welcomed by farmers,
many of whom had been in drought for up to a decade, it would cause significant
damage.
"It will take some time until the water goes down and we can get a real good handle
on how much property and infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed," she said.
Mayor Mark O'Brien said two homes had been destroyed and up to 500 damaged.
Sis Berryl-Goodman, who was among those evacuated to the Charleville showgrounds,
said she was happy to leave when water started lapping the steps of her nursing
home.
"It's been quite an adventure," she told AAP.
Ms Bligh said she did not expect the army's help would be needed for the clean-up.
In Roma, Bungil Creek, which skirts the town, peaked at 8.1 metres but has since
dropped, leaving about 200 people with damaged homes.
In disaster-declared Quilpie Shire, the main town of Quilpie is cut off with the
Bulloo River above the 2004 flood level and continuing to rise.
However, shire mayor David Edwards says there's been no major flooding in the town
centre.
Since Sunday, the town has received 230mm of rain. Since January, it has had more
than its 300mm average annual rainfall.
Elsewhere in Quilpie Shire, Eromanga's 170 residents have moved to higher ground as
floodwaters cut all access to the town.
Brisbane's dams are more than 80 per cent full, three years after supplies shrank to
alarming levels.
It's been eight years since the three dams serving the city and surrounds were more
than 80 per cent full.
Almost 480mm has fallen over the dams' catchments in the past week alone, including
125mm in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.
The floods have cut railway lines in several places in Queensland, affecting
passenger, freight and coal services.
The Central Line is closed west of Emerald to Longreach and Winton after heavy
rainfall flooded the corridor and the Western Line is also cut at several locations
east of Roma, with rain continuing.
The Charleville to Quilpie branch and Dalby to Glenmorgan branch remain closed
following flooding in these areas, Queensland Rail said in a statement.
Several coal rail systems in central Queensland have been affected and are operating
with speed restrictions in place.
Services on the Rolleston branch line on the Blackwater system are closed.
The Spirit of the Outback passenger train, which runs between Brisbane and
Longreach, is terminating at Emerald.
Westlander passenger services between Brisbane and Charleville have been cancelled
for the rest of the week.