The City’s Local Disaster Centre has been activated this morning as the Gold Coast continues to be lashed by heavy rain and strong winds.
While the city is only forecast to receive 40 millimetres of rain today, the weather bureau is warning we could see much higher isolated falls in some areas.
Mayor Tom Tate said centre staff are closely monitoring the conditions, with fears of localised flash flooding.
“While the amount of rain we’ve experienced in recent days wouldn’t normally be cause for concern, the catchments are saturated and we have already seen some minor flash flooding leading to road closures,” the Mayor said.
“I encourage everyone to monitor the latest updates from the Bureau and act accordingly.”
A massive rain band is currently hovering over the south east, but at this stage the Gold Coast appears to be escaping the worst of it.
However, meteorologist Helen Reid told myGC it’s important residents arent complacent, as the weather can change very quickly.
“The Gold Coast, in particular, does seem to be on the edges at the moment of what is some very wet weather at Brisbane and further north,” she said.
“We’re still talking that you could get up to around 50-80 millimetres throughout the course of the day, so looking like more a patchy sort of a situation than just continual rainfall.
“I wouldn’t want to say that you’re in the clear when it is such a big system and such a broad area is covered, it only needs to shift a small amount and that severe weather warning would include the Gold Coast.”
All Gold Coast beaches have again been closed today, with massive swell continuing to batter the coastline.
“We do have a hazardous surf warning out today, we do have a good easterly swell coming in with waves that are several metres, and that will continue into tomorrow as well,” Ms Reid said.
Council has reopened its sandbagging stations for locals who fear their homes or businesses may be at risk.
They’re located at Pimpama, Bilinga and Burleigh Heads:
- 232 Old Pacific Highway, Pimpama (next to City of Gold Coast Coomera Depot)
- 42-44 Boyd Street, Bilinga (use the service road, next to the City of Gold Coast Tugun Depot)
- 61 Hutchinson Street, Burleigh Heads, (Reedy Creek Waste and Recycling Centre)
