With more heavy rain expected to sweep across much of eastern Australia in the coming days, campers will need to be more aware than ever of the potential dangers of flash flooding.
A dramatic reminder of just how quickly conditions can change came over the Easter weekend when dozens of campers in outback Queensland were left stranded by rising waters.
The ABC reports that, despite having no reception, one group of campers at East Leichhardt Dam, 40 kilometres south-east of Mount Isa, managed to contact emergency services by using the Emergency SOS function on their iPhone.
When emergency services arrived, they found 29 campers stranded and cut off by rising floodwater.
A number of groups had their campsites inundated. PIC: Queensland Police Service
Two mothers and three infants were rescued and transported back to Mount Isa by the Queensland Ambulance Service as a precaution.
“The little bit of high ground they were on turned into an island … it’s still an island and most of them are still there just waiting for the waters to recede,” said Mount Isa Search and Rescue coordinator, Senior Sergeant Jeffrey Magnus. “It could take some time to recede and it really depends on whether there’s any more falls in that area.”
Mount Isa resident Eve Medforth, who was camping at the popular spot with 12 friends, told the ABC the group woke to find their swags were floating … and the .speed with which the water rose was terrifying.
Emergency services raced to the scene once the alarm was raised. PIC: Queensland Police Service
“The rain had really set in and stayed that way for about four hours, which brought the water up quickly and caught us off guard,” Ms Medforth told the ABC. “We’re all feeling pretty lucky today.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said thunderstorms moved through the Mount Isa region at about 9pm on Saturday.
“The rain gauge at East Leichhardt Dam recorded 33 millimetres but heavier falls could have fallen over the dam itself and this would have led to a rise in the water levels, given how saturated the region is,” a spokesperson told the ABC.
And the Bureau issued a stern warning to campers considering taking a break in the remote Outback … check the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast days in advance and ensure sites are set up on higher ground.
“It’s still the wet season, so have a look at the forecast because the Bureau did say they were expecting more rain in this area about a week ago,” the spokesperson said.
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