Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Cape River and Minor Flood Warning for Suttor River in Queensland

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Cape River and a Minor Flood Warning for the Suttor River. This alert (IDQ20745) follows moderate to heavy rainfall over the last several days, which has triggered significant river level rises across the Burdekin River catchment.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions in Queensland:

• Cape River: Specifically at Taemas and the stretch to Burdekin Falls Dam.
• Suttor River: Specifically at St Anns.
• Belyando River: Regions extending to the Burdekin Falls Dam.
• Key Locations: Taemas, St Anns, Pentland, and the Burdekin Dam area.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas are urged to take the following safety precautions:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater. It is dangerous and conditions can change rapidly.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel routes to avoid flooded roads.
• Stay informed: Monitor the ABC and local media for updates. For local emergency management advice, visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings.
• Emergency Assistance: For SES assistance, call 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.

Expected Conditions

• Cape River at Taemas: Currently at 5.86 meters and falling with minor flooding. However, it is forecast to potentially reach the moderate flood level of 7.00 meters on Friday afternoon.
• Suttor River at St Anns: Currently at 3.53 meters and steady. It is likely to exceed the minor flood level of 4.00 meters overnight Friday into Saturday.
• Additional Rainfall: Further showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the catchment over the next few days, which may cause additional river level rises.

Timeline

This warning was issued at 9:50 am AEST on Friday, February 20, 2026. Moderate flooding is possible at Taemas starting Friday afternoon, while minor flooding is expected at St Anns from overnight Friday into Saturday. The current alert window remains active until February 23, 2026, with the next official update scheduled for 4:00 PM AEST on Friday.