IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

Inspector-General Emergency Management

Only one EA was a directed evacuation, issued on behalf of the City of Gold Coast Council for the Albert River in the Ormeau area on the morning of Friday 31 March. Problems in EA messaging and the loss of mobile reception in the upper catchment of the Albert hampered communications. In the early hours of Friday 31 March residents along the Albert River awoke to find their houses and properties inundated. While door knocking and the quick action of neighbours minimised the loss of life, 10 swift water rescues were undertaken overnight across South East Queensland. 57 That morning also saw the dramatic rescue of a family by the SES from the roof of their Luscombe home 15 minutes before the house was swept away. 58 By late Friday 31 March Debbie was located offshore from the Gold Coast and impacting northern New South Wales. The flow from catchments saw further flooding occurring over the next few days. This required the Logan LDMG to simultaneously undertake recovery work with communities around the Albert River, whilst also preparing for the Logan River to peak as water moved down the catchment. Four evacuation centres were opened across Logan, at Crestmead, Beenleigh PCYC, Logan Metro and Jimboomba, although less than 60 people were accommodated in total. 59

The capacity to respond across multiple sites and stages of the event were clearly identified as pivotal to managing this event, and demanded strong collaboration and communication across local groups, districts and agencies. By the time Debbie had passed through South East Queensland, most rivers and creeks within the Albert and Logan catchments had recorded major flood levels. The catchment generally experienced its highest levels since 1974, with some areas experiencing record levels. At 5.30am on 31 March the Logan peaked at 14.76m at Beaudesert and again at 1.30pm, higher than the 1991 levels. The Albert River reached 8.0m at Beenleigh at 11.00am on Friday 31 March, 60 just below the 1887 record. On the evening of Saturday 1 April the Logan River peaked at Waterford at a height of 10.5m, exceeding the major flood levels of 2013 and shy of the 1887 record of 13.7m, 61 effectively isolating many Logan residents.

The three concurrent events

Date

South East Queensland

22 March Tropical low identified

4.51am • BoM predicts crossing coast south of Townsville as category 4 on 28 March 10.00am • Low named as TC Debbie SDCC stood up

25 March

26 March 5.22pm • BoM issued storm tide warnings

QRA stood up Between 5.00pm–12 midnight • TC intensified to category 4 off Whitsundays

27 March

28 March Morning (approx. 10.30am) • TC crossed over Whitsunday islands 12.40pm • TC Debbie made landfall Airlie Beach as a category 4 2.00pm • State Recovery Coordinator appointed 1.00pm • TC crossed over Proserpine as a category 3 10.00pm • TC crossed over Collinsville as a category 2 29 March Early hours • System dissipated to a tropical low south west of Collinsville

6.00am • All district groups from Brisbane to Bundaberg on alert 7.32am • DET tweeted school closures of Metro, North Coast and SE regions 8.33am • Advice to departments to enact Business Continuity Plans 9.30am • EAs advising school closures from Agnes Waters to NSW border and west to Nanango commence Later • Queensland Government advises businesses to consider closing after midday Afternoon • All districts and local groups in the SE activated From 4pm • 26 Flood warnings issued across the SE before 9am / 31 March 12 local groups, and three district groups at stand up Evening • Flash flooding across Gold Coast (hinterland isolated) Late evening • BoM issues flood warnings for Albert and Logan Rivers rapid rises and major flooding for Redlands, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan 11.40pm • BoM issues major flood warning for Albert river and broadcasts SEWS for Logan River Beaudesert

30 March

Flooded car park in Beenleigh, south of Brisbane. Photo courtesy of ABC News – Matt Roberts

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

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