BEENLEIGH, Australia, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP/AFP) – Flooded
rivers were still rising Saturday in two Australian states with two women dead and four people missing after torrential rains in the wake of a powerful tropical cyclone.
Queensland police warned that the Logan River, which runs through Beenleigh
south of Brisbane, would only hit peak flood levels during the afternoon while
further north the city of Rockhampton was also facing a serious threat.
Commissioner Ian Stewart warned there was “still a major risk to the
community around Logan and further south caused by that flooding situation.”
Rockhampton, with a population of over 80,000 on the Fitzroy River, was
expected to suffer flood levels not seen for a century and Stewart urged
residents in low-lying areas to leave.
“By Wednesday, we will be at peak flooding in Rockhampton,” he said.
“It will be a gradual rise, so I encourage people to move now.”
Queensland police tweeted “we currently have four people missing… that we
have serious concerns about,” including a 77-year-old man.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from a string of towns in
Queensland and New South Wales as the floods move south towards Ballina,
cutting roads.