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For the first time in over a decade, The Queensland Premier has had to make the executive decision to sound the iconic Flood Drum.
With torrential thunderstorms expected to hit parts of Southern Queensland today, Annastacia Palaszczuk has had to snap out of pandemic dictator mode, and prepare her state for the very real possibility that the state’s river systems will rise before the end of the week.
The Flood Drum was last sounded under Premier Anna Bligh in the lead up to the 2010/11 Queensland floods that ruined Christmas for over 90 towns and over 200,000 people with an estimated damage of $2.38 billion.
With a second trough system expected on Thursday, it is not yet known if Queensland can expect the same chaos as we did back then – however, the ever-cautious Palaszczuk Government are not taking any risks.
Standing on the steps of the Treasury Casino in Brisbane’s CBD this morning, Annastacia gripped the same hand-carved wooden mallet that has been used to bang the Flood Drum since its introduction after the Great Black February Flood of 1893.
“Boom!” sounded the drum, signifying that November rainfall records could tumble during another week of storms and wet weather.
“Boom”
“Boom”
Soaking rain is expected to flood The Corner over the coming days, with plenty of people with a bitta grey in the salad warning that ‘they reckon’ we could see a repeat of 74.
For those who don’t live in the Sunshine State, the event known as 74 was a flood in 1974, with the banks of the Brisbane River breaking during three weeks of continuous rainfall.
It is still spoken about on a regular basis to this day.
However, it looks like it could possibly have company, with another week of rain in 2021 a chance of filling up the wine cellars of South Bank pubs and venues.
“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that,” said the Premier today.
“But, we must all be at the ready.”
“Tell the old boy to grab the brooms and shovels out of the shed. Tell your teenage sons and daughters to be ready. Load the freezer with Zooper Doopers.”
“Be prepared.”
“Stay safe Queensland,” she said, hanging the mallet back up and walking off to make a call to the head of the Australian Defence Force.
