Qld: South-west town in for another lashing

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2007
Qld: South-west town in for another lashing

BRISBANE, Dec 21 AAP - A south-west Queensland town battered by torrential rain last
night is in the path of a second menacing storm system expected to strike tomorrow.

Residents of St George, 400km west of Toowoomba, mopped up today after up to 108mm
of rain fell in a 40-minute period last night just after 5.30pm (AEST).

Trees were torn down and roads to the town were cut by floodwaters, which rapidly subsided today.

Balonne Shire mayor Robert Buchan, a local since 1948, said it was the worst storm in 25 years.

"It came down so quickly it was coming down sideways, so we don't know exactly what
(amount of rain) we did get," he told AAP.

"There's been some damage to buildings, some damage to motor cars, but no personal
injuries that I've heard of."

Meteorologist for weatherzone.com.au, Matt Pearce, said the town should brace itself
for another deluge.

He said another major event began to unfold earlier today when storms and widespread
rain developed across South Australia.

Caused by an unseasonably strong cold front linking up with existing warm, humid air
over South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales, the intense low pressure
system is due to hit south-west Queensland tomorrow.

"There's likely to be severe storms out of this system," Mr Pearce told AAP.

"There's definitely potential for that kind of activity to be repeated again."

Mr Buchan said the town would cope with the second storm as best it could.

"We had a really good response from our SES and council," he said.

"Let's hope the one that comes tomorrow is nowhere near as bad as the one we had last night."

AAP gd/lc/it/mn

KEYWORD: STORMS QLD

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