What we learned today, Saturday 22 October
The end of the day is almost upon us. Between floods, security deals and news of Hancock Prospecting’s withdrawal from netball sponsorship, it’s been a busy news day.
Here’s what we learned:
Floods continue to threaten parts of New South Wales, including Lismore, with evacuation orders issued for North Moree and Carroll Village. The emergency services minister, Steph Cooke, says there is not a single part of the state she is not concerned about at the moment and authorities are “sandbagging the state”. Areas of north-western NSW are expecting flooding worse than that recorded in March 2021, approaching the record set in 1955.
In Victoria, the SES received 70 calls for assistance overnight in the Geelong region which experienced really heavy falls. She Oaks near Geelong recorded 85mm overnight, 40mm of which fell in just half an hour. Thunderstorm activity was expected to clear across the state today. There remains a risk of heavy rainfall in northern Victoria on Sunday.
Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting withdrew from a $15m funding deal with Netball Australia after a revolt by players against its sponsorship. The company and Rinehart said they considered it “unnecessary for sports organisations to be used as the vehicle for social or political causes”. That follows a reported player backlash against the company over its climate record.
Australia and Japan signed a new security deal as prime minister Fumio Kishida visited Australia for what he said is the leaders’ fourth meeting in five months. The security deal will include joint training exercises for Japanese and Australian defence forces in northern Australia.
In Echuca homes on the “wet side” of the levee are doing rubbish collection this morning. They’re using SUPs and boats to ferry the trash out over the wall. pic.twitter.com/miXNduwew8
— Cait Kelly (@cait__kelly) October 22, 2022
Updated
Severe weather warning for parts of south-east Queensland
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for parts of south-east Queensland.
The warning says:
A low pressure system off the Capricornia coast is forecast to develop further and move south to southeast tonight and through Sunday. At this stage, this system is expected to remain just off the Queensland’s southeast coast, however, some uncertainty exists with its forecast position and track.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast to affect parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett, and Southeast Coast forecast districts from later this evening. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 90 to 150mm are likely. 24-hourly rainfall totals between 100 to 150mm are likely with falls up to 300mm possible, most likely about the coast and ranges.
Locally INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is also possible during this period with six-hourly rainfall totals up to 200mm. The highest risk areas are about the coast and ranges. A separate Severe Thunderstorm Warning will be issued if very dangerous thunderstorms with intense rainfall are detected.
Heavy rainfall is expected to increase during the evening and overnight period over the Southeast Coast, including Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The peak in rainfall rates should occur during Sunday morning with a potential clearance out of the southeast by late evening.
⚠️ Severe Weather Warning update: risk of heavy to locally intense rainfall in #SEQld today & Sunday. Dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding possible. Flood Watch also current. Warning details & updates: https://t.co/zw6FXgch6X
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) October 22, 2022
Follow @QldFES advice #IfItsFloodedForgetIt pic.twitter.com/y51RWUmLkO
Updated
