The Mitchell Highway is cut off by flood waters and neighbouring village Emerald has been evacuated. Photo / Getty Images
SYDNEY - Major flooding continues on the Nogoa River after more than 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes in the central western Queensland town of Emerald.
The town is preparing for major flooding tomorrow.
The Queensland government today declared Emerald a disaster zone as the Nogoa continued
to slowly rise, closing the main route into the town and forcing homes in low-lying areas to be evacuated.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the water level at Emerald was 14.88 metres at 7.30pm (AEDT).
Further rises are expected in the Nogoa River at Emerald overnight and tomorrow morning, with the river expected to peak at 15.5 metres tomorrow afternoon.
However, forecasters are unable to confidently predict the exact height because of the amount of water still flowing into the river and nearby Fairbairn Dam from a number of tributaries.
At 8pm, the level of Fairbairn Dam at the spillway was 4.10 metres and continuing to rise.
The bureau said major flooding was expected at Charleville tonight and tomorrow morning.
Major flooding is extending downstream along the Warrego River from Charleville to the Wallen area.
Moderate flooding was recorded at Charleville on the Warrego River at 7pm.
Further flood level rises are expected tonight with the final peak expected to be under 6.5 metres around midday on Tuesday.
At Wyandra, downstream of Charleville, the peak reached 9.26 metres at 7pm.
Major flooding is expected to continue this week with further rises on Thursday.
- AAP
