Brisbane's flooding crisis is now likely to exceed that of 1974, Premier Anna Bligh says.‘‘The latest advice I have in relation to the inflows into Wivenhoe [Dam] is that we can expect overnight tonight in Brisbane flood levels to reach about three metres.‘‘By Wednesday high tide, tomorrow afternoon at about 3 o’clock, we will see it at 4.5 metres and the current predictions indicate that the river will continue to rise into Thursday, with flood levels expected higher than the 1974 peak.‘‘The flood reached a peak of 5.45 metres in 1974. Our current modelling shows that with continued rain into Thursday, we will see the levels of the river reach higher than that.’’
Brisbane CBD exodus as flood threat grows Premier Bligh expects death toll to rise dramatically VIDEO: Cars swept awayLord Mayor Campbell Newman also warned that the worst of Brisbane’s flooding was yet to come, with Thursday likely to be ‘‘devastating’’.Cr Newman said latest flood modelling suggested 6500 properties could be inundated, with 16,500 to be only partially affected by floods.He said the rain had continued and the forecast for the expected flood impact had worsened since yesterday.‘‘The situation has obviously demonstratively deteriorated significantly,’’ Cr Newman said.‘‘Today [the flooding] is very significant, tomorrow is bad and Thursday is going to be devastating for the residents and businesses concerned.’’Cr Newman said the river was projected to reach 4.2 metres at the Port Office, at the mouth of the Brisbane River, on Thursday. He said the level in 1974 was higher, but 4.2 metres was ‘‘very significant indeed’’.FOOTAGE FROM THE 1974 FLOODEarlier today, authorities pleaded for people not to panic as commuters rushed to leave the CBD on employers' orders.FOOTAGE FROM THE TOOWOOMBA FLOODS In surrounding areas, Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said up to one third of that city could be flooded when the Bremer River peaks.Caboolture has been completely isolated, with cuts to the Bruce Highway between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.Cr Newman said the operators of the Wivenhoe dam were facing a ‘‘huge challenge’’.‘‘They have a dam that is essentially full for flood mitigation purposes,’’ he said.‘‘And they now have to discharge that water ... because more is on the way.‘‘Wivenhoe has protected Brisbane over the last few weeks from flooding.‘‘Unfortunately the big shock absorber that is that dam is now full.‘‘Whatever happens in that upper catchment is going to have a significant impact on Brisbane.’’
