Hundreds of people are stranded in the southern Queensland town of Fernvale after a quarry broke overnight, flooding homes.
Resident Trudy Hatcher says many properties in the lower parts of the Brisbane Valley town have water up to their ceiling and there is snakes everywhere.
“When the quarry broke, the water came through so quickly that people were stranded in their cars – half of their family on one side – the other half on the other side,” he said.
“We’ve got so many dogs and cats and people up here on the hill … we’re just doing what we can.”
Meanwhile, in the southern Darling Downs town of Warwick, the Condamine River peaked overnight at its highest level in 35 years.
Southern Downs Mayor Ron Bellingham says up to 200 homes and businesses have been badly flooded, many of them for the second time in two weeks.
More than 150 people stayed in evacuation centres overnight as the Condamine River peaked at 8.6 metres.
Warwick remains cut off from everywhere except Stanthorpe.
Crops such as barley, wheat, sorghum and corn have been destroyed.
Councillor Bellingham says the clean-up will start today.
“The one thing about here is the flood comes through in about 12 to 24 hours but it will disappear out of the town again and I am anticipating in the 24 hours, it’ll be fully back within the banks of the river again,” he said.
Flash flooding in the local creek inundated about 30 homes at Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt.
