Please note, although your
property may not have been directly affected by this flood event,
the event has been included in your suburb listing because
according to the Bureau of
Meteorology river gauge data, a catchment near your suburb recorded
a high mark. This event may have affected your
suburb.
In the 3 day period between 18 April and 21 April 1990, up to
150 mm of rain fell in large areas of Central Queensland. Some
isolated areas recorded up to 350 mm. Major flooding developed on
the Warrego River, Maranoa River as well as other inland systems.
On 21 April, the Warrego River peaked at 8.5 m. Over 2000 residents
were evacuated (mainly by military helicopters) to the higher,
local airport. The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the
1990 damage at $30m, with the 2007 estimated repeated cost of
$163m.
From the Emergency Management of Australia database this event
affected Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and claimed 7
lives, caused 60 injuries and left 5,000 people temporarily
homeless. The total estimated cost of these floods was $415 million
(in 1990 values), most of which was uninsured.
The towns of Jericho and Augathella were flooded, and on the
20th two-metre deep floodwaters bisected the town of Alpha as the
Alpha Creek rose a metre above its previous record. A section of
the Longreach railway was washed away.
Early on 21 April, Charleville residents were rudely awoken by
the rapidly rising Warrego River. Many were forced to retreat to
their rooftops and had to be rescued by helicopter. Late that day
the river peaked at over 8.5 metres, 1.5 metres above the previous
record. Levee banks were overwhelmed, and as floodwaters spread
through the town, the entire population of 3500 was evacuated to
the airport. Following an uncomfortable couple of days, residents
returned to confront the damage: houses torn from stumps, gaping
holes in roads, stinking mud over everything. Downstream,
Cunnamulla residents fared better as the river stopped rising when
it was 85cm below the top of the levee banks.
At Augathella 30 houses were evacuated and more than 50 houses
inundated. At Jericho (population 170) 20 houses were inundated, 5
with major damage. At Blackall 120 people were evacuated from 29
houses. 15 business premises were inundated. According to the
Department of Primary Industries, 300,000 sheep, 11,000 cattle and
9,200km of fencing was lost.
