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Brisbane on edge ahead of catastrophic flood peak
Updated 26 minutes ago

The Brisbane River bursts its banks as the city braces for its floods worse than the 1974 disaster.

Authorities are urging people to stay calm as Brisbane and Ipswich prepare for unprecedented flooding over the next two days.

Heavy rain, releases from the giant Wivenhoe Dam and high tides will combine to cause major flood peaks in both cities in the next couple of days, with river levels rising above the historic 1974 floods.

And a four-year-old boy's death in Ipswich has taken the Queensland floods death toll to 10.

"Now is not a time for panic, it is a time for us to stick together."

Authorities say about 6,500 properties could be flooded as the Bremer and Brisbane rivers hit hits record levels over the next two days.

As panicked residents strip supermarket shelves bare, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson says people should stay calm.

"Stay calm but act wisely and if you're in doubt, evacuate to friends or evacuate, don't take any unnecessary risks," he said.

The Brisbane River is predicted to rise to 3 metres tonight, 4.5 metres tomorrow and is likely to peak higher than the 1974 floods that reached 4.55 metres.

Large parts of Brisbane are already affected by flooding. A number of shops in the CBD have been evacuated and the State Library has closed because of the extreme weather conditions.

A steady stream of debris is floating down the swollen Brisbane River, including boats ripped from their moorings by the force of the current, and a whole ferry pontoon.

Ipswich is also in danger, and Mayor Paul Pisasale says the city is preparing as best it can.

"If you think I'm panicking, yeah I am, but I want everyone to stay calm because we're going to resolve this together," he said.

The Bremer River at Ipswich is now expected to reach 22 metres tomorrow morning - 1.5 metres above the 1974 level.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who is flying to Brisbane tonight, says it will take many months for communities to recover from the devastating floods.

She says the Federal Government is doing all it can to help people affected by the flooding.

"We've already processed more than 10,000 claims and paid more than $13 million and this is just the start - there will be more payments and support for people in recovery and then all of the rebuilding to do."

Several major highways are cut as well as countless suburban roads.

Evacuation centres

An evacuation centre has been set up at the RNA showgrounds, but residents in the 80 affected suburbs are urged to stay with friends and family.

The Red Cross says it will be able to accommodate about 1,000 people.

Spokeswoman Julie Groome says they will provide a range of services during the flood crisis.

"People will be able to sleep here, shower, eat here," she said.

"We've got a TV here, we'll have as much information as we can for people.

"We've got St John here in case people have any medical or health concerns. Lifeline are going to be here and the Salvos are providing that catering for us."

In Ipswich, thousands of people are expected to fill four evacuation centres across the city.

Ms Bligh says Brisbane and Ipswich residents needed to band together to deal with the crisis.

"If you live on high ground in Brisbane now is the time to be reaching out to friends and offering help, and offering where necessary a bed for the night, over the coming two to three days," she said.

"For those who are living in some of the lower lying areas and the identified suburbs, now is the time to be making whatever preparations you can, and I would encourage you to be overly cautious.

"For those who are unlikely to be directly affected, I think the entire city of Brisbane, the Ipswich region and most of the south east, needs to prepare ourselves for enormous disruption we are anticipating."

A telephone hotline - 1300 993 191 - has been set up for people seeking information on friends and relatives caught up in the flooding disaster.

Panicked residents strip shelves bare
Updated 2 hours 6 minutes ago

Authorities are urging people to remain calm amid panicked scenes of shoppers stripping the shelves of Brisbane supermarkets as they face record flood levels.

Large parts of Brisbane and Ipswich are to be inundated, with flood peaks expected to surpass the 1974 floods.

There have been reports of panic buying at grocery stores across south-east Queensland, and some retail outlets are running low on essential items such as bread and milk.

Scott Driscoll from the United Retail Federation says many shop owners are reporting busier than usual trade.

"Trade today has been akin to holiday levels ... very, very high and retailers are doing all they can, as usual, to make sure their shelves remain stocked and that demand is met," he said.

"Consumers need to remain calm. They need to do what they would naturally do at this time to ensure they have the essentials to get them through the next 48 hours.

"I think it's a sensible move for that to occur given that we've heard many reports that flood waters are going to rise over that period of time."

Mr Driscoll says there is likely to be some interruption to supplies.

"I think this is going to be a moment by moment scenario," he said.

"We're making sure all that we can do to coordinate deliveries from supply sites into those stores across the greater Brisbane region is being done.

"This will be the major challenge over the next few days to a week."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is calling on residents to band together to get through the flood crisis, and to look out for their friends and neighbours.

"I understand for many many people in Ipswich and Brisbane, particularly those who endured the 1974 flood, that we are now in a very frightening experience," she said.

"Can I appeal to everybody that it's times like this where we all need to make an effort to stay calm, to be patient, and to stick together.

"Now is the time to be checking on neighbours, on elderly people in your neighbourhood, to be checking on family and friends."

Ms Bligh says all people, even those not affected by the floods, have a role to play in helping the region weather the crisis.

"If you live on high ground in Brisbane now is the time to be reaching out to friends and offering help, and offering where necessary a bed for the night, over the coming two to three days," she said.

"For those who are living in some of the lower lying areas and the identified suburbs, now is the time to be making whatever preparations you can, and I would encourage you to be overly cautious.

"It's better to be inconvenienced and find that your preparations were not necessary, than the alternative.

"I think the entire city of Brisbane, the Ipswich region and most of the south east, needs to prepare ourselves for enormous disruption."