Residents of an Australian city cut off by some of the country’s worst flooding in decades are being warned to stay out of the water, and not just because of the risk of being swept away: Debris, snakes and even crocodiles could also pose a danger.
Large parts of the coastal city of Rockhampton were under water Tuesday. The waters were still rising, with the 75,000-strong population bracing for the floods’ expected peak in the next 24 hours as a huge inland sea spawned by heavy rain across Queensland state drains toward the ocean.
Residents on boats made their way through Rockhampton’s flooded streets, while police checked houses to see whether they were occupied.
Up to 500 people have been evacuated from their homes along the Fitzroy River, which runs through the city and has spilled over its banks and inundated houses and businesses in waters ranging from a few inches (centimeters) to waist-deep, with levels expected to rise another few feet (half-meter). Air and rail links to the city were cut and only one main road remained open.
Adding to the woes, Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter said Tuesday the floodwaters were threatening Rockhampton’s sewage treatment plants and officials may seek to discharge some effluent directly into the swollen river system. He said this would only occur away from the city, and that the discharged sewage would be highly diluted and would not pose a health risk.
Rockhampton is the latest of 22 cities and towns in Queensland to be swamped by floods that began building just before Christmas — the worst effects of an unusually wet summer in the tropical region. No one has died in Rockhampton, but swollen rivers and flooding have killed 10 people in Queensland since late November, police say.
Officials have said the flooded area covers the size of France and Germany combined and 200,000 people have been affected.
Authorities have warned residents to stay out of floodwaters for their own safety, saying the biggest risk is from fast-moving currents powerful enough to sweep cars from roadways. At least two people have drowned after being swept away in their cars.
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