Townsville open for shipping, despite severe flooding

PORT of Townsville remains open for shipping, management says, despite the tropical city facing unprecedented flooding. Heavy rain during the past week has resulted in the spillway gates on Ross River Dam being completely opened, with large volumes of water inundating already waterlogged lands. Many suburban houses have been swamped with residents having to be evacuated from their homes. In a short statement, Port of Townsville said the port was still open for shipping, albeit there were limitations. “Due to the severe weather event, administrative functions such as MSICs and inductions are currently unavailable,” the statement read. “Due to the severe weather event, administrative functions such as Maritime Security Identification Cards and inductions are currently unavailable.” A spokesperson for the port was quoted as saying heavy rainfall had led to some operators suspending loading operations, impacting on shipping schedules. Earlier, the Townsville Airport was closed for a time but reopened on Monday afternoon. DCN has sought comment from local logistics operators. Heavy rain, caused by a tropical low, has brought large volumes of water to many North Queensland catchments. The Burdekin River near Charters Towers, observed by this correspondent last week as a lazy trickle, has since been transformed into a powerful torrent, forcing the closure of Macrossan Bridge.