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The Australian army helped to evacuate residents in the coastal city of Townsville after dam gates were fully opened to release water during heavy monsoon rains.
Members of the 3rd brigade used 15 boats, each holding six people at a time, to move people to safety as major flood warnings were issued for the Ross River in northern Queensland .
Residents were also urged to stay out of the water due to crocodile and snake sightings around the city .
The Bureau of Meteorology said “dangerous and high velocity flows” of around 1,900 cubic metres of water per second would be released from the Ross River dam from Sunday night into Monday morning.
“Unprecedented areas of flooding will occur in Townsville,” the bureau said in a statement warning of risk to life and property. “Expect access routes to be cut. Conditions will change rapidly and continuously.”
Show all 29 1 /29Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Evacuations under way in Townsville on February 4
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Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Army vehicles enter Townsville to help evacuate people on February 4
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Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A major intersection in the flooded Townsville suburb of Idalia on February 4
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Townsville, Australia - Monsoon An Australian soldier helps a Townsville resident evacuate her home as the military is deployed to tackle the floods on February 4
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Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A boat steers down a flooded road in Townsville on February 4
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Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A flooded neighbourhood in Townsville on February 4
EPA
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rosslea residents Stephen Jubbs, Stacie Little and Stephen Dobbs take their boat around floodwaters in Rosslea, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 02 February 2019. Thousands of residents downstream from the Ross River dam were evacuated after flash floods hit the region following heavy rains, media reported.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A child is seen playing in floodwater in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon A resident rides his bicycle in floodwaters in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Townsville Residents are seen watching the raging floodwaters of the Ross River in the suburb of Douglas on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a lone tree in raging floodwaters of the Ross River on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon An Australian soldier from 3CER helps sandbag a home in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a flooded street in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Seen is a 4WD vehicle in a flooded street in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Warning signs are seen on a flooded road in the suburb of Railway Estate on February 01, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared Townsville a disaster area and has ordered school closures today after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the area. The bureau of meteorology is predicting 400mm of rain to fall over the weekend and into next week.
Ian Hitchcock/Getty
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents are seen in floodwaters in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Locals are seen filling sand bags supplied by the Townsville City Council at Hermit Park in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Kyle Konings, Courtney Turner and Luke Eketone walk through floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters across Ross River in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Wayne Clayton with Cooper walk through floodwaters in Mundingburra, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Courtney Turner and Luke Eketone walk through floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rocks are seen blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters are seen at Aplins Weir in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents Kerry and Josephine Guinea observe rocks blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Floodwaters at Alpins Weir along Ross River in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Residents of the suburb of Idalia are seen playing in floodwaters in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Wayne Clayton with Cooper walk through floodwaters in Mundingburra, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 01 February 2019. Authorities asked Townsville residents downstream from the Ross River dam to evacuate an emergency measure after high-risk that up to 100 homes could be flooded.
EPA/Andrew Rankin
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Rocks are seen blocking Muller Street in Wulguru, Townsville, as flooding continues in northern Queensland, Australia February 1, 2019.
AAP Image/Andrew Rankin via Reuters
Townsville, Australia - Monsoon Local resident Paul Shafer and his daughter Lily stand in floodwaters near star pickets that show where the storm water cover has been removed in Hermit Park, Townsville, northern Queensland, Australia February 2, 2019.
AAP Image/Andrew Rankin via Reuters
Forecasters estimated 450mm of rain would fall in the dam catchment area over a 24 hour period.
The dam had reached almost 250 per cent capacity by the early hours of Monday morning.
Townsville City Council issued a flood map and urged residents in more than 20 suburbs to “move away from riverbanks and get to higher ground".
“Residents still in their homes in these suburbs should move to the highest ground in their dwelling,” it added.
Footage showed torrents of water being released from the dam before it was closed to the public on Sunday evening.
The 3rd brigade said defence members were “working as hard and as quickly as they can to meet the need” for evacuation in the Idalia and Oonooonba areas of Townsville.
“Those seeking evacuation should take minimal personal items as the size of the boats will not allow for baggag,” it said in a statement.
“Pets will be evacuated but need to be on a lead or otherwise suitable contained.”
Townsville airport said it had cancelled all flights after 6pm on Sunday due to safety concerns.
The city was already suffering from once-in-a-century flooding after days of monsoon rains lashed the region, with an estimated 500 homes under water by Sunday.
Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Meteorologist Adam Blazak said: “Normally a monsoonal burst might last a few days, but this one’s been going on over a week now and is set to continue for a few more days as well.”
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