Record-breaking Queensland flooding to peak, says forecaster

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology predicted that a record-breaking flood in the country's Queensland state was forecast to peak on Sunday. Almost 100 residents of an outback town were moved to higher ground. The flood has been triggered by heavy rain over the past week. The remote town of Burketown has been the worst hit. It is about 2100 km northwest of state capital Brisbane.

Dan McKinlay, chief executive of the local council responsible for Burketown, said on Sunday that 97 residents had been airlifted out in the past 48 hours.

McKinlay told ABC radio that water levels in the area were "at heights not previous known" and that the town looked like it was "sitting in the middle of an ocean"

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The Bureau of Meterology said that the current flood has already topped a March 2011 record of 6.78 metres.

The crisis comes after frequent flooding in Australia's east over the last two years due to a multi-year La Nina weather event, including once-in-a-century floods that hit remote areas in the neighbouring Northern Territory, in January.

On Saturday, police released aerial images of the Burketown flooding, showing properties and swaths of land submerged.

The Bureau of Meteorology expected the weather event to continue this week, but said it was now in a "receding" phase.

"Further showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast for the remainder of Sunday, however widespread rainfall has generally eased in the area," the forecaster said, adding that the peak of the flood waters could extend into Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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