Qld: Camoweal isolated by rising flood waters

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-1999
Qld: Camoweal isolated by rising flood waters

BRISBANE, Dec 25 AAP - The tiny township of Camooweal, eight km from the Queensland-Northern
Territory border, is completely isolated by floodwaters.

Bridges on either side of the town are covered by a metre of water, and floodwaters
are expected to rise further overnight if looming storm clouds open.

Sergeant Al Pearce from Camooweal police said one or two families were stranded in
town and three road trains were stuck on the other side of the submerged bridges.

"We're very, very lucky its Christmas-time," Sgt Pearce told AAP.

"Most people have already got to where they were going.

"If it had been New Year, there would have been a lot more people stuck."

SES volunteers ferried the stranded truckdrivers to town for a meal and a shower and
returned them to their rigs during the day.

About 250 people live in Camooweal, a refuelling stop on the Barkly Highway which runs
from Mount Isa in north-west Queensland to Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

Sgt Pearce said the floods would not affect most of the townsfolk, who usually have
well-stocked cupboards because of their everyday isolation.

He said the rains were the first real soaking the area had had for more than five years.

Mount Isa police today predicted the Barkly Highway would remain closed all day tomorrow.

AAP bja/cjh

KEYWORD: FLOODS

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