2019 Monsoon
DESCRIPTION
Name 2019 MonsoonDescriptionThe 2019 Monsoon was the largest flooding event in the Townsville region for 120 years . Commencing on the 23rd of January and continuing on until the 7th of February 2019 the flood was categorised as a 1 in 1,000-year event.
Over the two-week period, the water level of the Ross River Dam reached capacity, peaking at 43 metres, and receiving 850,000 mega litres of rain (precipitation) .
The rising waters caught many people in the city off guard. Unlike the intense and short-term nature of cyclones, that Townsville residents understand, this weather event was experienced by most, as a slow, continuous building in severity natural threat.
For those living along sections of the Ross River the water rise was far more immediate as the unprecedented rain triggered the City’s Emergency Action Plan and forced the opening of the Ross River Dam gates.
The emergency action plan was designed to protect the city from more severe flooding that would be otherwise experienced from the flows of the Ross River, as well as to prevent catastrophic failure of the dam .
Combined with localised flash flooding, homes in areas such as Bluewater, Rosslea and Idalia were inundated.
Throughout the event the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group (TLDMG) was mobilised as a multidisciplinary body of government and non-for-profit agencies to co-ordinate the emergency response.
In their response the group led by Townsville City Council:
• Provided 143,000 sandbags and 9,000 tonnes of sand to residents and businesses.
• Opened six evacuation centres providing temporary accommodation, peaking with 800 people.
• Deployed more than 80 trucks and 52 Townville City Council crews to support the community during the floods. Including one Council truck used to facilitate flood evacuations of residents under QPS direction.
Townsville residents formed what was monikered as the “Floodie Army”. Using their tinnies and watercraft to evacuate and rescue people and pets trapped by the rising flood waters.
In the wake of the flood the Insurance Council of Australia reported claims totalling $1.24 billion with the Queensland construction authority identifying 4,000 properties as being damaged.
After the water receded the TLDMG mobilised resources to assist with the removal of debris, other damaged items and rubbish from the homes and streets of the city. The Australian Defence Force collected 5,840 tonnes while Townsville City Council collected over 19,000 tonnes of bulk waste that had once been the contents of people’s homes and businesses.
Damage was not limited to that caused by rising waters. The intensity of the rain overwhelmed the guttering and drainage on many homes and businesses causing water to course under eaves and into buildings, while the constant moisture loads shorted many air-conditioning units and electrical systems.
The long-term power outages forced residents to decamp and close up their homes. This presented a new challenge in the form of an explosion of mould growth around the city. Homes that had previously been spared from the rising flood waters began to witness heavy mould growth covering every surface.
Commercial cleaning businesses were a constant sight on the streets of the worst affected areas in the months after the event. Insurance companies deployed cleaning crews to kill and clean the mould that covered homes from the floors to ceilings, as well the furnishings.
During this time the Council created free cleaning distribution sites where Townsville resident could bring their own containers and have them filled with mould cleaning products.
Recovery for Townsville was a slow process, not just due to the scale of the damage; issues with insurance claim payments, availability of qualified tradespeople and the beginning of the Covid 19 global pandemic all contributed to a drawn-out recovery process.
To assist in the recovery the Queensland and Federal Governments provided 139 local government, industry and non-for-profit community organisations close to 14 million dollars in grant funding for recovery and resilience-based projects .
Two years on from the Monsoon event 74 homes are still uninhabitable , however most flood impacted areas have been successfully rehabilitated.
Further Reading:
Ben, C 2019, Independent Review of Ross River Flooding https://www.igem.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-12/IGEM%20MTRF%20-%20BMT%20hydrology%20report%2012062019.pdf
Inspector-General Emergency Management 2019, Inspector-General Emergency Management 2019 Monsoon Trough Rainfall and Flood Review, 15 July 2019. https://www.igem.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-12/IGEM%20MTRF%20Review%28lowres%29.pdf
Townsville City Council 2019, Townsville City Council Submission to the Office of the Inspector-General Emergency Management The 2019 Monsoon Trough Rainfall and Flood Review, 31 March 2019. https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/73184/TCC-Review-Submission.pdf
DateBetween 23rd January 2019 and 7th February 2019
Over the two-week period, the water level of the Ross River Dam reached capacity, peaking at 43 metres, and receiving 850,000 mega litres of rain (precipitation) .
The rising waters caught many people in the city off guard. Unlike the intense and short-term nature of cyclones, that Townsville residents understand, this weather event was experienced by most, as a slow, continuous building in severity natural threat.
For those living along sections of the Ross River the water rise was far more immediate as the unprecedented rain triggered the City’s Emergency Action Plan and forced the opening of the Ross River Dam gates.
The emergency action plan was designed to protect the city from more severe flooding that would be otherwise experienced from the flows of the Ross River, as well as to prevent catastrophic failure of the dam .
Combined with localised flash flooding, homes in areas such as Bluewater, Rosslea and Idalia were inundated.
Throughout the event the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group (TLDMG) was mobilised as a multidisciplinary body of government and non-for-profit agencies to co-ordinate the emergency response.
In their response the group led by Townsville City Council:
• Provided 143,000 sandbags and 9,000 tonnes of sand to residents and businesses.
• Opened six evacuation centres providing temporary accommodation, peaking with 800 people.
• Deployed more than 80 trucks and 52 Townville City Council crews to support the community during the floods. Including one Council truck used to facilitate flood evacuations of residents under QPS direction.
Townsville residents formed what was monikered as the “Floodie Army”. Using their tinnies and watercraft to evacuate and rescue people and pets trapped by the rising flood waters.
In the wake of the flood the Insurance Council of Australia reported claims totalling $1.24 billion with the Queensland construction authority identifying 4,000 properties as being damaged.
After the water receded the TLDMG mobilised resources to assist with the removal of debris, other damaged items and rubbish from the homes and streets of the city. The Australian Defence Force collected 5,840 tonnes while Townsville City Council collected over 19,000 tonnes of bulk waste that had once been the contents of people’s homes and businesses.
Damage was not limited to that caused by rising waters. The intensity of the rain overwhelmed the guttering and drainage on many homes and businesses causing water to course under eaves and into buildings, while the constant moisture loads shorted many air-conditioning units and electrical systems.
The long-term power outages forced residents to decamp and close up their homes. This presented a new challenge in the form of an explosion of mould growth around the city. Homes that had previously been spared from the rising flood waters began to witness heavy mould growth covering every surface.
Commercial cleaning businesses were a constant sight on the streets of the worst affected areas in the months after the event. Insurance companies deployed cleaning crews to kill and clean the mould that covered homes from the floors to ceilings, as well the furnishings.
During this time the Council created free cleaning distribution sites where Townsville resident could bring their own containers and have them filled with mould cleaning products.
Recovery for Townsville was a slow process, not just due to the scale of the damage; issues with insurance claim payments, availability of qualified tradespeople and the beginning of the Covid 19 global pandemic all contributed to a drawn-out recovery process.
To assist in the recovery the Queensland and Federal Governments provided 139 local government, industry and non-for-profit community organisations close to 14 million dollars in grant funding for recovery and resilience-based projects .
Two years on from the Monsoon event 74 homes are still uninhabitable , however most flood impacted areas have been successfully rehabilitated.
Further Reading:
Ben, C 2019, Independent Review of Ross River Flooding https://www.igem.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-12/IGEM%20MTRF%20-%20BMT%20hydrology%20report%2012062019.pdf
Inspector-General Emergency Management 2019, Inspector-General Emergency Management 2019 Monsoon Trough Rainfall and Flood Review, 15 July 2019. https://www.igem.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-12/IGEM%20MTRF%20Review%28lowres%29.pdf
Townsville City Council 2019, Townsville City Council Submission to the Office of the Inspector-General Emergency Management The 2019 Monsoon Trough Rainfall and Flood Review, 31 March 2019. https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/73184/TCC-Review-Submission.pdf
DateBetween 23rd January 2019 and 7th February 2019
Document
CONNECTIONS
2019 Monsoon (Between 23rd January 2019 and 7th February 2019). Townsville City Council, accessed 14/11/2024, https://stories.townsville.qld.gov.au/nodes/view/42