Qld: Child missing after dam wall burst
23 Nov 2008 11:08 PMBy Jamie Duncan and Angela Harper-Ereni
BRISBANE, Nov 23 AAP - A child is missing after a water bladder atop a dam wall burst in central Queensland.
Floodwaters are rushing downstream after the bladder of water holding at least 6,000 megalitres ruptured at the Bedford Weir on the MacKenzie River near Blackwater, about 200km west of Rockhampton.
The bladder on top of the weir's wall permits more water to be stored.
Sergeant Noel Melrose of Rockhampton police said the child, who lives in the Blackwater area, was swimming with a group near the weir when the bladderburst.
"Apparently there is a swimming hole below the weir wall for the public, which is quite popular on a hot day, and that's where we believe they were swimming," Sgt Melrose told AAP.
No other information about the missing child has been released at this stage.
The spill from the weir was roughly equal to the amount of water held by 6,000 Olympic swimming pools, Sgt Melrose said.
Police, Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority crews, paramedics, and State Emergency Service volunteers, along with a helicopter, rushed to the scene.
"Police will remain on scene tonight. We did have the Capricorn rescue helicopter in the area. They have a floodlight ... but I think they have calledit off for the moment. They will resume at daylight," he said.
Water levels on the MacKenzie River should be back to normal by 9am (AEST) Monday, Sgt Melrose said.
Ian Churchill from Emergency Management Queensland told ABC Radio there wasno risk of major flooding.
"It's not going to be a considerable amount that's going to wipe out Blackwater or come into Rockhampton," he said.
Mr Churchill said there were no reports of flooded roads or bridges in the area.
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 the size of melons.
