The massive flooding of the Norman and Flinders Rivers system is so vast it has created its own weather.
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The Flinders River has experienced its most significant flood in at least the last 50 years. Record floodwaters in places has also broken out into adjacent catchments.
And as the Army coordinates fuel drops into the affected region, the Bureau of Meteorology said the extra moisture from the flooding in the North West helped a thunderstorm form in the Gulf on Thursday morning.
“It can be seen following the path of the flood waters very closely, thankfully falls were isolated,” the BoM said.
According to the latest flood warning issued Sunday morning, floodwaters across the lower Flinders River is slowly easing but major flooding will continue along parts of the lower reaches into the coming week.
Flood levels downstream of Richmond continue to slowly ease, but will generally remain high into the week. Floodwaters are contracting across the floodplain, particularly between Etta Plains and Canobie through to Walkers Bend.
The Flinders River at Walkers Bend will remain above the major flood level (5.6m) into next week.
Moderate flood levels on the Norman River between Yappar River and Normanton are very slowly easing.
The Norman River at Normanton peaked at about 4.91m around 6pm Wednesday and is currently at 4.53m (moderate flood) and falling very slowly. The river level is expected to remain above the moderate flood level (4m) into the coming week.
Speaking to the North West Star during the PM’s visit to Cloncurry on Friday Carpentaria Mayor Jack Bawden said his council was cranking up their flood response.
“The further south you go the longer they have been dealing with it,” Cr Bawden said.
“But now it’s started dropping off now we are going to start the real work trying to save what stock is left, it’s nor pretty.”
Cr Bawden said Normanton and Karumba were spared further disaster as they had a light wet season to date.
“We usually whinge about that but it’s been a blessing this time as the fact the Norman still had capacity and when the Flinders overflowed into it we finished up with just moderate flooding in Normanton and Karumba,” he said.
The Normanton to Cloncurry road will likely be cut off for the next month.
The road is currently closed at Walkers Bend which on Friday February 8 had flood waters at a record flood level of 16.75m – 11.5 m above the bridge level on the Burke Development Road.
Roads are currently open from Cairns to the Norman River at Glenore. Water levels have peaked at around 4.3 metres above the bridge at Glenore and are expected to commence to fall slowly by the weekend. Once water levels start to fall it is expected that the bridge at Glenore may be open to traffic within the next two weeks.
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