At least 70 of Burketown's residents have already been moved to higher ground as days of heavy rainfall has led to record breaking floods across the north west region and Gulf Country.
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Up to 533mm of rain has fallen across the Nicholson, Gregory and Leichhardt river catchments in the 48 hours to Thursday morning, sparking major flooding in Doomadgee, Burketown and surrounding areas.
The Gregory River has surpassed the 1971 flood record of 10.8 meters yesterday, reaching a total of 18 metres.
Burketown police are now coordinating the evacuation of vulnerable persons in the Burketown area as major flood warnings continue to be issued.
"Residents and workers at outlying cattle stations are encouraged to consider evacuation, at a time that is safe to do so, while allowing time for aircraft attendance," Queensland Police said in a statement released this morning.
"Police are coordinating the evacuation of vulnerable and elderly persons from Burketown to Mount Isa, with officers door knocking all persons in the township.
"Various helicopters from nearby properties and businesses will be assisting in the evacuations.
"Burketown residents are urged to be prepared to leave, and to remain up to date with current warnings."
Burketown Mayor Ernie Camp said most of town's airstrip remains "inundated with water," prompting emergency services to take evacuees to the Doomadgee airstrip to be flown onwards to Mount Isa.
"It is all quite involved," Cr Camp said of the evacuation process.
"We have identified roughly 27 adults and 19 children. Now we are trying to persuade them to be evacuated.
"We believe we have been supplied the assets and the support from the district but things are still unfolding."
Cr Camp is reminding residents not to take the risk and be prepared to evacuate if need be.
"The Gregory and the Leichhardt are now overflowing into one another," he said.
"With those overflows, it is now uncharted territory as to what heights the rivers will reach.
"Stay safe and evacuate if you need evacuation.
"It's just not worth the risk."
The Mount Isa Water Board said they are working collaboratively with Mount Isa City Council to ensure the community's continued safety and supply of information.
"Recent favourable rainfall has generated considerable inflows into Lake Moondarra. The lake capacity has almost doubled from 42.5 per cent on Sunday 5 March and is now nearing 80% as at 9 March," said a Mount Isa Water Board spokesperson.
The Mount Isa Local Disaster Management Group said plans are being made to distribute key supplies.
"The LDMG has decided to make plans for a supply drop of food and medical supplies to Camooweal as a priority and is currently assessing the situation," a Mount Isa Council spokesperson said.
"It is also making preparations for the possible evacuation to Mount Isa of people from low-lying areas beyond the Mount Isa region in the coming days."
The Landsborough Highway between Cloncurry and Kynuna, including McKinlay, is closed to all traffic.
The Flinders Highway also still remains closed to traffic in both directions.
