Flooding rain to add damage, delay repairs

FLOOD-weary Queenslanders have been warned to steel themselves for another "kick in the ribs" by Mother Nature.

Authorities already struggling to repair hundreds of millions of dollars of damaged roads and bridges will have a fresh onslaught of heavy rainfall to deal with across the state's southeast today.

There are fears that damaged roads from the January floods will not survive another drenching as some regions brace for up to 400mm of rain over the next 48 hours, based on weather bureau predictions.

The heavy rain is set to ease on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Flood-ravaged Bundaberg, still mopping up after one of its worst floods on record, is among those in the firing line.

The damage bill from January's flooding has already reached $1.1 billion, with another $1 billion of state assets yet to be assessed.

South-East Queensland is again bracing for flash flooding as another weather system batters the state's coast.

There are now fears the bill - which threatens to outstrip that of the 2011-12 floods - could rise again.

Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience David Crisafulli said

the longer a road stayed wet, the higher the chance it would incur structural damage.

"At a time when people really want to get on with the rebuild it is another swift kick in the ribs," Mr Crisafulli said.

"I want people to understand that while it is terrible timing, the moment this goes we must continue the great effort that has been there," he said.

THE state's southeast has been warned the next few days will bring rainfall levels similar to the dumping that caused major damage during ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald a month ago. Burnett Heads lifesaver Erin Gibson, 17, yesterday patrolled a sparsely populated beach where a yacht has been stranded for a month.

"We just have to treat this for what it is and that is another speed bump thrown at us by Mother Nature.

"We can't let it destroy our resolve. There has been some really good progress."

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said he was concerned about the impact of the latest weather system on the road network, with 3642km open to motorists under either a reduced speed limit or other restriction and 109km of roads still closed to traffic.

The Burnett Highway, near Mt Morgan, remains closed due to 35 landslips, as does Mt Sylvia Rd near Laidley.

Roads still open but with restrictions include the Capricorn, Warrego, Cunningham, Gore and Leichhardt highways.

Six waterspouts formed off the Queensland coast on Sunday amid wild weather warnings. One twisted across the beach and caused damage to the Bundaberg Surf Lifesaving Club building. SEE VIDEO AND MORE PICTURES

The weather bureau's Richard Wardle said the 400mm of rainfall would be spaced over days rather than during one day as it was in January during ex-tropical cyclone Oswald.

But he predicted falls of 100-200mm over 24 hours and up to 400mm over a broad area over the next 48 hours.

"For Monday and Tuesday we're looking at a large area receiving quite heavy rainfalls along the coast.

"Heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding are our main concerns," Mr Wardle said.

Seqwater yesterday began preparing for the wet by releasing water from dams.

Beach erosion in the Main Beach and Narrowneck area's of the Gold Coast.

Corporate and community relations manager Mike Foster said the releases, from North Pine Dam and Wivenhoe Dam, were low-level.

Water was being released from Wivenhoe Dam at 280 cubic metres a second, compared to 1500 cubic metres a second on Australian Day weekend.

The temporary full supply level for North Pine Dam was being drawn down to 88 per cent, similar to the temporary full supply of Wivenhoe.

"It's very much a precautionary decision that has been taken," Mr Foster said.

The wet weather had already begun for Bundaberg yesterday, with 20mm of rain as of 5pm and more on the way.

Wivenhoe Dam releases doubled ahead of expected deluge. Picture: Channel Ten News

Logan City had 26mm by 3pm yesterday, while Gladstone, Gympie, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast are also in for heavy falls today and tomorrow as a slow-moving upper trough and associated upper low crosses the state.

Bundaberg authorities also reported six waterspouts off Bargara, causing the evacuation of beaches and minor damage to the Bundaberg Surf Life Saving Club building.

-- additional reporting Tom Chamberlin, Kathleen Donaghey

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