'No end in sight' to St George floods

8 Feb 2012, 5:01 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Around 2500 residents have been evacuated from the town, which is being protected by a hastily built earthen levee. (AAP)

Around 2500 residents have been evacuated from the town, which is being protected by a hastily built earthen levee. (AAP)

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says St George is facing the triple threat of rising flood waters, a damaged weir and sewerage systems that aren't working.

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Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says there is "no end in sight" to the flood crisis in St George, as the town deals with a rising river, a damaged weir and inoperable sewerage systems.

The Balonne River continued to rise on Wednesday, reaching a record 13.95 metres, defying earlier predictions it would peak on Tuesday.

Around 2500 residents have been evacuated from the town, which is being protected by a hastily built earthen levee.

Ms Bligh said the flood situation would likely continue for days, if not weeks.

"(These are) very tough circumstances in St George, very grim times for this little town," she told reporters in Townsville.

"Third time in two years, hundreds of people out of their homes and no end in sight."

The premier said engineers were inspecting the town's flood-damaged weir.

"I should say that if part or all of the weir failed, it wouldn't so much affect the town, but it would see a very big flood surge go down to the properties south of the town," she said.

Ms Bligh said the floods had knocked the local sewerage system out of action, meaning evacuees would not be able to return until the system had been repaired.

"We cannot get people back into town until that water drops and we get the sewerage system operational again."

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