Q’land flood victims start big mop-up

Press, 6 May 1983, Page 6

Q’land flood victims start big mop-up

NZPA Brisbane Southern and western Queensland residents yesterday began mopping up as most flood waters receded, revealing extensive damage to homes, businesses and crops.

The danger of further big flooding passed in many places, but at the Queens-land-New South Wales border town of Goondiwindi, the Maclntyre River remained level.

The police said that the sandbag levees on the banks of the river held strong against the swirling floodwaters. Volunteers were still patrolling the levees, ensuring that any cracks did not break the barrier protecting the town. A flood warning remained in force for the Condamine and Balonne River with

flooding expected between Dalby and Chinchilla on the Darling Downs. The Chinchilla police said that the worst of the flooding was now over in the town, and the clean-up had

begun. The Premier, Mr Joh Bjelke-Petersen, said that it was still impossible to determine the full extent of flood damage, but he was sure that it would run into several million dollars. The Queensland Cabinet has approved immediate disaster relief scheme help for flood victims, providing aid for food, clothing, bedding and other essential items.

Under joint Com-monwealth-state disaster relief arrangements, the state Government will pay the first sAust4 million aid

with the Federal Government paying 75 per cent of the remaining damage costs.

The state Opposition leader, Keith Wright, made his own inspection of flood ravaged areas yesterday. Meanwhile, the floods may have claimed another victim with a man and his car missing in the central Queensland city of Rockhampton where the Fitzroy River is expected to peak tomorrow. Police divers were searching swollen Lion Creek where they believed that a vehicle had crashed through bridge railings. The only other flood victim was a Darling Downs farmer, who was 55, who had died when he was electrocuted in his flooded home at Chinchilla.