Melbourne: Australia's worst flood in decades is affecting more residents across the region with Queensland state on Wednesday declaring two new disaster areas and at least two other towns are also preparing to evacuate.
Evacuations are underway in the inland town of Emerald, west of Rockhampton, and in the coastal city of Bundaberg, the AAP reported.
River levels continue to rise in many locations as the deluge that's hit southern and central Queensland makes its way towards the sea.
Bureau of Meteorology has warned that downstream communities, particularly Bundaberg and Rockhampton, face days of uncertainty.
Authorities said about 200 homes are at risk of inundation in Bundaberg, where 18 properties have been flooded so far.
Many residents have already left low lying areas as the city braces for the highest flood peak in 50 years.
Residents are also being evacuated from low lying parts of Emerald after the Department of Community Safety said flood levels would equal or exceed those seen in 2008.
The January 2008 floods saw 2700 people evacuated and left a damage bill of more than $50 million.
The Nogoa River, which flows through Emerald, is at major flood levels and is expected to peak on Friday about 0.3 metres higher than the 2008 flood, which reached 15.36 metres.
"More than 200 homes are going to be evacuated but some may only end with water around the house. Not all will be inundated," Emerald Mayor Peter said, adding "In 2008, the water was coming over the spillway at Fairbairn Dam at 4.4 metres. This time you're looking at five metres. But it can handle 10 to 12 metres. But there's no risk to the dam itself."
Gregory MP Vaughan Johnson, whose electorate takes in Emerald, said the area around the town resembled a huge inland delta.
"All the river systems are full, the farmland has all been washed away and the crops have all been destroyed," he said. "I flew over the area from Alpha to Barcaldine in a helicopter yesterday and I've never seen water laying in that country like it is now - never. It's like a delta system draining, and you've got to see it to believe it."
State Premier Anna Bligh was touring the communities of Bundaberg and Rockhampton today as the Government announced new disaster declarations for the Bundaberg Regional Council area, and the North Burnett Regional Council area which takes in the flooded communities of Mundubbera and Gayndah.
Meanwhile, evacuations are continuing in the devastated town of Theodore, with authorities hopeful the town will be empty come nightfall.
Banana Shire Council acting mayor Maureen Clancy fears Theodore, which has been completely inundated, will be hit again when water at nearby Taroom flows downstream.
Residents in the town, where 100 homes were flooded, are on the toughest water restrictions amid fears back-up reservoir supplies could be gone in two days.
Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown said the town's 14,000 residents couldn't begin the clean-up until the water supply issue was resolved, and he was considering trucking in water for drinking.
"It will take a week to fix this," he said, adding that most of the water in the town had receded.
Deputy Premier Paul Lucas, who has put the likely damage bill in excess of $1 billion, said he was worried about the week ahead.
"Rockhampton experiences the flooding from the weather events usually about a week after the rain stops falling in the catchment," he told the ABC.
"Even just one of the tributaries of the Fitzroy system is 5000 square kilometres."
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