AUSTRALIAN WARNING SYSTEM — FLASH FLOODING EMERGENCY | TAKE SHELTER NOW

UPDATE — THIS WARNING HAS EXPIRED. CHECK FOR UPDATED WARNINGS ON OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD.

TAKE SHELTER NOW — Atherton Tablelands Region — severe weather warning and flood warnings as at 10.30am Sunday 17 December 2023.

Warning level — EMERGENCY WARNING

Warning area — Atherton Regional Council local government area.

This warning is from Tablelands Regional Council.

A coastal trough across the North Tropical Coast will remain slow-moving through the day, enhancing rainfall across North Tropical Coast and nearby ranges.

HEAVY RAINFALL may lead to FLASH FLOODING from Cooktown to Tully. Six-hourly rainfall totals of 150–200mm are likely, with isolated falls up to 250mm along the coast and adjacent ranges. Twenty-four-hourly rainfall totals of 250–350mm are likely, with isolated falls up to 400mm along the coast and adjacent ranges possible.

Locally INTENSE RAINFALL may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING.

Widespread flash flooding is happening now. People across the Atherton Tablelands Region are in danger because of fast-moving and very dangerous floodwater.

Take shelter inside now. Do not try to drive.

If your life is in danger, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. For flood and storm emergency help, call the SES on 132 500 or download the SES Assistance QLD app.

Impacts

Homes and buildings have been flooded.
Power, water, sewerage and telephones have been lost in the area.
Roads or bridges have been flooded and closed.
Landslides have happened in some places — watch out for fallen earth, rocks, debris and trees.
Floodwater can be very deep, rise quickly and move fast.

What you should do

Stay inside where possible and avoid driving.

If you are outside now:

Go to a safe place, indoors and on high ground.
If you cannot shelter inside, get to higher ground away from trees. Trees can fall down when the ground is very wet.
Move away from creeks and rivers.

If you are already driving:

Driving now is dangerous.
Floodwater is dangerous. We are not able to physically close all roads that are flooded so do not presume a flooded road is safe because it has not been closed. Do not drive through floodwater. If the road is flooded, go a different way.
Listen to your local radio station for warnings and traffic updates.

If you are inside now:

Do not expect emergency services to come to your door.
Stay inside and watch for rising flood water.
If floodwater comes inside, move to a higher point like the kitchen bench or second storey and call Triple Zero (000).
Warn friends, family and neighbours in the area.

If you are camping or caravanning:

Immediately move people, pets, your camping gear and vehicle to higher ground.

More information

Go to our Emergency Management Dashboard (dashboard.trc.qld.gov.au) for the latest weather warning, emergency contacts, road closures and conditions, power outages, news from our Disaster Coordination Centre, links to ABC radio and key social media.
Visit the Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au/qld) for weather information.
Listen to our local radio stations.

The next update will be when the situation changes.