Queensland floods: Stranded Brisbane residents left without vital supplies

Queensland residents have been left stranded without access to vital supplies as the state’s floods continue to claim areas of Brisbane.

Residents have been left without essential supplies such as food and power following a mammoth rain bomb in the southeast of the state.

Brisbane resident Elly McGinn, who resides directly opposite the Brisbane river, said she was forced to stay put without food for almost two days.

The 21-year-old woman was left stranded in a low-lying suburb south of the river on Saturday following the shutdown of public transport.

Local Brisbane resident Elly McGinn has been stranded in her home for two days without food or power following extreme flash flooding. Supplied/Elly McGinn via NCA NewsWire
Local Brisbane resident Elly McGinn has been stranded in her home for two days without food or power following extreme flash flooding. Supplied/Elly McGinn via NCA NewsWire Credit: NCA NewsWire

“I was really worried about food – I had nothing in the fridge because the power went out,” she saixjmtzywd.

“I don’t know what to do, and I don’t have any way to get out – it’s terrifying.

“I never thought I’d be in this position – I’ve never dealt with a flood before.”

The university student said the savage weather had turned streets into rivers, leaving cars afloat and building alarms on constant repeat.

Brisbane’s West End in the aftermath of more than 740mm of rain between Thursday and Monday morning. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire
Brisbane’s West End in the aftermath of more than 740mm of rain between Thursday and Monday morning. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire Credit: Supplied

More than 51,000 southeast Queensland residents were without power on Monday morning.

Residents without access to power have been using public toilets to charge their phones and keep themselves contactable.

Authorities have urged residents to conserve drinking water as treatment plants become contaminated with dirty water.

Montague Market Pharmacy offered residents a safe space to charge up their devices amid a major power fail. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire
Montague Market Pharmacy offered residents a safe space to charge up their devices amid a major power fail. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire Credit: Supplied

The community has banded together to offer residents power and clean water.

Local pharmacies have provided residents with safe spaces to charge up and connect with their loved ones.

A local bottle shop has offered free ice to thirsty residents as authorities urge Queenslanders to conserve drinking water.

The Brisbane River spilt into the West End area on Sunday following heavy rainfall. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire
The Brisbane River spilt into the West End area on Sunday following heavy rainfall. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire Credit: Supplied

Senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology Dean Narramore told reporters residents are not out of the woods yet, as fast flowing rivers continue to spill into the city.

“Even though the rain has stopped … all the water that fell over the last two days is still making its way through the creeks and river systems,” he said.

The Brisbane River has put hundreds of suburbs under threat this morning as it reached just under 4 metres.

The famous “brown snake” river is expected to peak another two times in the next 24 hours.

Authorities said the ‘never seen before’ weather event had seen the equivalent of a year’s worth of rainfall in some locations. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire
Authorities said the ‘never seen before’ weather event had seen the equivalent of a year’s worth of rainfall in some locations. Supplied by Daniela Pizzirani/NCA NewsWire Credit: Supplied

Dramatic rescues continue to unfold as almost two dozen emergency evacuation orders are issued in the state.

Residents have been ordered to evacuate Howard Smith Wharves on the Brisbane River after a pontoon carrying a crane broke from its mooring.

Locals have been warned to avoid this area.

QUEENSLAND FLOODS
An evacuation alert has been issued by Queensland Police for people at Howard Smith Wharves and the riverside walkway. NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced criticism from the community over a lack of flood warnings.

The premier said people were always given the most up-to-date warnings, but “you can’t control mother nature”.

“It has been fast, it has been furious and it has had a big impact; that is the facts,” she said.

“No one has seen this amount of rain in such a short period of time over our entire southeast catchment zone,” she said.

More than 6000 people rescued across Queensland have been caught off guard by the rapidly rising waters.