Fears an apartment block could COLLAPSE as raging floods strike Queensland – and the rain is going to get worse today
- Townsville declared a disaster zone as heavy rain and flash flooding grips area
- Apartment block warned at risk of collapse and man still missing in flood water
- More than 80 schools and childcare centres ordered to remain closed on Friday
- Forecasters predicted 200mm to be dumped on region on each of next few days
An apartment block is at risk of collapse and parts of Queensland declared a disaster zone as raging floods continue to rip through the state.
Heavy rain has battered much of the central and north of the state as areas endured a devastating once in 20-year weather event.
The Queensland government has declared the area a disaster zone and ordered the closure of more than 80 school and childcare centres in the Townsville area.
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An apartment block is at risk of collapse and a man is missing as raging floods continue to rip through Queensland
Heavy rain has battered much of the central and north of the state as areas endured a devastating once in 20-year weather event
Emergency services evacuated an apartment complex and its 13 residents and two nearby houses at Stanley Street, Townsville (pictured) amid growing fears the building could crater
Forecasters say another 200mm of rain could be dumped over the region on each of the next few days, keeping already swollen rivers at major flood levels (pictured, water cascading down stairs at Townsville)
Forecasters say another 200mm of rain could be dumped over the region on each of the next few days, keeping already swollen rivers at major flood levels.
A landslip at Stanley Street in Townsville City on Thursday led to extensive damage to the foundations and retaining walls of an apartment complex.
Emergency services evacuated the complex and its 13 residents and two nearby houses amid growing fears the building could crater.
Already Townsville City Council says many homes have already been seriously damaged as some residents in the town deal with flooding on their properties.
1,200 homes at Townsville South were left without power yesterday as gale force winds brought down a tree onto powerlines.
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Police have been given extra evacuation powers after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared a disaster situation on Thursday.
The town's Ross River Dam is now at 140 per cent capacity and operators have had to partially open its spill gates to relieve excess water.
At Giru south of Townsville police spent the night searching for a 32-year-old man last seen on foot near Black Gully about 5pm on Thursday.
They fear he tried to enter floodwaters in an attempt to get home.
Already Townsville City Council says many homes have already been seriously damaged as some residents in the town deal with flooding on their properties
Police have been given extra evacuation powers after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared a disaster situation on Thursday
The Bruce Highway remains cut south of Townsville and there are major disruptions to the city's transport services, with most urban and school bus services affected by the deluge
The search continued until just before midnight but the atrocious weather forced a halt, with officers left to monitor the creek line during the night.
Much to their relief police announced the man had been found alive and well the next day.
'Police have located safe and well the man who was thought to be in flood water in Giru,' police said.
'Fortunately he made a decision to stay with a friend for the night rather than enter the flood water.'
The Bruce Highway remains cut south of Townsville and there are major disruptions to the city's transport services, with most urban and school bus services affected by the deluge.
'Creek and river catchments are already saturated and will therefore respond very rapidly to any rainfall,' Bureau of Meteorology warned.
'The monsoon trough is expected to remain active into next week, with further heavy rainfall expected for already saturated catchments between about Cairns and Bowen.
'The potential for significant and dangerous flash flooding will likely continue into next week.'
Flood warnings remain in place in coastal catchments from Daintree to Mackay as well as northwest Queensland (pictured, Giru in north Queensland on Thursday morning)
Many major rivers in north Queensland have hit major flood level, leaving residents in low-lying communities nervous (pictured, Giru in north Queensland on Thursday morning)
Flood warnings remain in place in coastal catchments from Daintree to Mackay as well as northwest Queensland.
Communities near the Northern Territory border, including Camooweal, Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek and Urandangi are at risk of flash flooding on Friday and Saturday.
Many major rivers in north Queensland have hit major flood levels, leaving residents in low-lying communities nervous.
As parts of the state cop more torrential rain, residents in other towns are left to clean up yesterday's mess.
Residents at Bluewater, a town north of Townsville, were busy clearing out their homes after more than a metre of rain causes mass flooding of residents' houses.
More than 200mm of rain fell fell in the space of three hours and the banks of the town's nearby creek buckled under the total 365mm of rain.
Authorities have been doing the rounds in the small town to help any residents left stranded in their homes.
The premier is due to be briefed by emergency authorities in Brisbane on Friday morning.
Communities near the Northern Territory border, including Camooweal, Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek and Urandangi are at risk of flash flooding on Friday and Saturday (pictured, Giru north Queensland on Thursday morning)
Authorities have been doing the rounds in Bluewater to help any residents left stranded in their homes
More than 200mm of rain fell fell in the space of three hours and the banks of Bluewater's nearby creek buckled under the total 365mm of rain
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