IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

Inspector-General Emergency Management

On Friday 31 March the Rockhampton local group “stood up” to respond to the recent rain and begin preparing for the town’s third major flood in six years. The adjoining Livingstone local group stood up on Saturday 1 April and a disaster declaration for the two council areas was made the same day. A concerted media campaign commenced in both Livingstone and Rockhampton that included daily media releases, radio interviews, videos and Facebook posts and there were daily updates on the evening news from the Chair of the Rockhampton LDMG. Two sets of EAs were sent on behalf of the Rockhampton Regional Council. The first, issued on Sunday 2 April and including more than 200,000 voice and text messages, was a “watch and act,” advising the Fitzroy River was expected to peak on 5 April. The extensive area receiving a warning message included Livingstone Shire Council and created some confusion amongst residents and facility owners. As the Capricorn Coast was still accessible, this messaging created the assumption that business were closed. A second series of EAs was issued on Wednesday 5 April. Following close liaison between the Rockhampton Disaster Management Officer and the SDCC, this second series was sent to more targeted blocks, based on specific addresses most likely to be affected by the flood. The peak was then predicted for Thursday 6 April. As the river rose, some flood gauges washed away, meaning the council and Bureau received less regular updates of their predictions. Eventually the flood peaked at 8.9m on Friday 7 April, 68 below the predicted peak of 9m. About 200 homes and businesses were inundated and about 3,000 properties affected by road closures.

Previous floods had led to a number of mitigation projects being jointly funded by Rockhampton Regional Council and the Queensland and commonwealth governments. These mitigation measures worked, allowing sporting fields to reopen sooner, and keeping approximately 400 more properties flood-free. The Yeppen overpass, constructed after the 2011 floods cut the highway for several weeks, allowed access to Rockhampton from the south and prevented its isolation. Traffic could continue north from Rockhampton but because sections of the Bruce Highway in Rockhampton’s southern outskirts still flood, that traffic was diverted through the city. Between 4–9 April the diversion was open to all Bruce Highway traffic. Despite significant disruption to the local community and last minute alterations to council roads to permit access by B-Double trucks on local streets, this enabled an important transport artery to remain accessible. • Purchase of a temporary flood barrier • Refurbishment of sewerage network to reduce inflow of flood waters • Construction of a small levee and associated drainage • No new development approvals in flood-prone areas. North Rockhampton mitigation measures • Installation of backflow prevention valves on storm water drains

The three concurrent events

Date

Central Queensland

22 March Tropical low identified

4.51am • BoM predicts crossing coast south of Townsville as category 4 on 28 March 10.00am • Low named as TC Debbie

25 March

26 March 5.22pm • BoM issued storm tide warnings 27 March Between 5.00pm–12 midnight • TC intensified to category 4 off Whitsundays

Morning (approx. 10.30am) • TC crossed over Whitsunday islands 12.40pm • TC Debbie made landfall Airlie Beach as a category 4 1.00pm • TC crossed over Proserpine as a category 3 10.00pm • TC crossed over Collinsville as a category 2 EA issued on behalf on Central Highlands Regional Council warning of flash flooding TC Debbie passing over Central Highlands, Woorabinda, and Banana Two EAs issued on behalf of Banana LDMG advising of rising water in Callide and Kroombit dams Rail line to Mackay closed Disaster declaration made for Rockhampton and Livingstone council areas Livingstone LDMG stood up Rockhampton evacuation centre opened 1.50pm • EA watch and act issued advising Fitzroy flood expected to peak on 5 April

28 March

29 March

30 March

31 March Rockhampton LDMG stood up

1 April

2 April

3 April Rockhampton airport closed 4–9 April Diversion through Rockhampton open to Bruce Highway traffic 5 April 6.14pm • EAs issued to selected addresses most likely to be flooded

Recovery Committee established in Rockhampton Rockhampton recovery hub established

6 April

7 April 10.30am • Flood peaked at 8.9m in Fitzroy River 11 April Rockhampton evacuation centre closed 13 April Rockhampton airport re-opened 14 April Rockhampton recovery hub closed

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

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