Queensland Floods: Chinchilla, Bundaberg, Longreach Hit Hard

0:00In Adelaide, it's March 11th, and here's what is going on. Floods are hitting hard across parts of Queensland, with rivers swelling in Chinchilla, Bundaberg, and Longreach. In Chinchilla, Charlie's creek hits 6.4 meters on Wednesday, and is expected to peak at 6.8 meters around midday today. The Burnett River in Bundaberg topped out at 7.4 meters earlier this week, but has started falling. Meanwhile, authorities in Chinchilla issued an emergency alert, urging low-lying residents to evacuate immediately, especially on the mile side of. Town, policeman door to door, and the local showgrounds opened as an evacuation center. Seven people were rescued from a campground after the creek broke its banks early this morning. Residents and business owners are feeling the strain. A new hotel manager in Chinchilla moved stock-like beer kegs and furniture to higher ground, bracing for up to 200 millimeters of water. Inside, in Bundaberg, hundreds of homes and businesses flooded with bridges closed and boats breaking free at the marina.

1:02Damage assessments are underway, as waters recede in some spots. The Burnett River now sits at 6.65 meters and keeps dropping, with bridges set to reopen below 7 meters. Full costs to roads, homes, and shops won't be clear for days. Further west and Longreach, the Thompson River could hit major flood levels by the weekend, possibly rivaling the 2000 flood. Officials are watching closely as it passed 6 meters yesterday, preparing for low-lying homes to be a risk. We'd like to thank our sponsor for making this episode possible. What is cooler than cool? A pillow that plays your sound. S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com