Flood-hit Qld resident wait in frustration

7 Feb 2012, 10:18 pm   -   Source: AAP
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A flooded street in St George, Queensland. (AAP)

A flooded street in St George, Queensland. (AAP)

Qld police have warned St George residents they will not be able to return home until a problem with the town's sewerage system is fixed.

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St George residents have been warned of an unforeseen problem that could delay their return to the southwest Queensland town that is bracing for a flood peak within hours.

Police say the flooding has caused a problem with the town's sewerage plant and residents will not be able to return to St George on Wednesday.

"As soon as the water level recedes, urgent work will be undertaken to establish the extent of the problem, and restore it to working order," a police statement said.

"Inspections on the power and water supply also need to be completed."

"Until such time as this can be done, the town is unsafe for your return, and the mandatory evacuation order will remain in place."

The Balonne River at St George was at 13.9m and rising at 8pm (AEST) on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says it is expected to peak up to 14m late on Tuesday evening, below a 14.5m makeshift earthen levee that is protecting most of the town.

"We think (it will peak) before midnight but we'll keep a close eye on it," a BOM spokesman said.

About 50 properties outside the levee have reportedly been flooded.

Some 2500 people were evacuated from St George at the weekend, when it was feared the river could reach a 15m peak.

They've been warned to settle in for a long wait in evacuation centres in Dalby and Brisbane, or with family and friends.

Earlier, Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said road access to the town was cut off, and power, water and sewerage infrastructure would need to be made safe before the mandatory evacuation order was lifted.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said she hoped residents would be able to return to St George by the end of the week, but added, "Let's wait and see".

She said a temporary evacuation centre would be set up in the town for those who could not move back into their homes.

Meanwhile, clean up efforts are expected to continue in the flood-ravaged towns of Roma and Mitchell on Wednesday.

Both towns experienced record-breaking floods last week.

Maranoa Mayor Robert Loughnan said about 290 houses in Roma and 288 homes in Mitchell had water above the floorboards.

The numbers did not include houses in regional areas outside the towns, he said.

He said the clean-up efforts in both towns would be "massive", but more difficult in Mitchell where residents were unprepared for the flood.

The effort had been hampered by the closure of the Maranoa Bridge into Mitchell, which he expected would open on Wednesday.

"I think in Mitchell it's going to be far bigger than Roma just by virtue of they've done it twice in Roma in the past two years," he said.

"The whole business district was essentially flooded itself so it's not just the housing sector, the residences.

"And in addition to that there's a bit of a threat that the highway may not be open to full-size trucks for quite a while"

The defence force will aid the clean-up in Mitchell, with 120 soldiers expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Further west at Charleville, residents were finally allowed to return home on Tuesday, with an evacuation order lifted.

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