That 200,000 number is pretty right Keith, there is a lot of land between people,
whether you would want to live there is a moot point. It is very harsh country of the Crocodile Dundee variety. Years of drought followed by the biggest floods in 100 years. The town of Rockhampton which is inundated has a population of about 75,000.
Australia floodwaters still rising
Last Updated: Sunday, January 2, 2011 | 4:44 PM ET Comments25Recommend28
CBC News
Houses can be seen partially submerged Sunday in Rockhampton in Australia's Queensland state. (Daniel Munoz/Reuters)
Floodwaters are still rising in parts of Queensland, Australia, and water levels are not expected to peak until mid-week, officials said Sunday.
Many areas of the city of Rockhampton near the east coast have been swamped and could remain that way for the next couple of weeks.
Floodwaters in Rockhampton and other communities aren't expected to peak until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of people in the state have already been forced from their homes. In all, about 200,000 people are affected and 22 towns and cities are under water or isolated.
Water from overflowing rivers is covering an estimated 900,000 square kilometres, an area roughly the size of British Columbia, or at least half the size of Queensland.
Airport closed, roads swamped
Greg Gobel , executive director of the Australian Red Cross in Brisbane, said access has been completely cut off to Rockhampton, a city of 75,000.
"The waters are expected to peak at about 9.4 metres, so the airport will go under," he said. "Roads and rail have already been cut off and, in fact, the only people getting into the town now are through helicopters, and even now they're restricting the airspace."
The last plane took off from the Rockhampton airport on Saturday afternoon before the facility closed.
Australian police have been using boats to transport people away from flooded areas.
The flooding has claimed one life. A woman drowned in Burketown on Saturday night when the car she was in was swept off a flooded causeway.
Days of heavy rain triggered the flooding, and there are predictions it could take a month for the flooded area to dry up.
"The reality for Queensland at the moment is that a vast amount of the state has been confronted with a natural disaster that will take not just days to pass and weeks for the immediate cleanup, but will have its effects felt for years to come," said Andrew Fraser, the state treasurer.
Another severe thunderstorm was expected to sweep through much of southern Queensland on Sunday, bringing damaging hail and winds, as well as the potential for flash flooding.
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CBC News - World - Australia floodwaters still rising