News Service from House Harris

Qld: Up to four people feared missing as dam bursts

BRISBANE, Nov 23 AAP - Up to four people are feared missing after a dam burst in central Queensland.

Floodwaters are rushing downstream after a bladder of water holding 10,000 megalitres burst at the Bedford Weir, near Blackwater.

Central Highlands mayor, Peter Maguire, told AAP, "it's a disaster".

The mayor, who lives in Emerald, said he was not on the scene so could onlygo by reports made to him that people who were in the vicinity of the dam were believed to be missing.

"There are reports of people missing," he said.

"I've heard three and four (people are missing) but I don't know if that's right."

The Bedford Weir holds 22,900 megalitres of water and it was a bladder on top of the concrete wall that had burst, Mr McGuire said.

Police are warning a mass of water is travelling downstream towards the Fitzroy River Barrage, near Rockhampton.

"The water will travel quickly and in a large volume and may cause flash flooding at river crossings and bridges," police media said.

Police advise the public to stay away from the area until further notice, but they don't expect the flood to affect the Fitzroy River.

Blackwater, a mining township with a population of 5,000, was earlier declared the state's 13th natural disaster area after being bruised and batteredon Friday by a ferocious storm packing hailstones and the size of melons.