Flood-hit communities in the north and northwest Tasmania have entered a “danger period” as waters rise, with evacuation orders for areas around several rivers and part of Launceston.
Heavy rain that began on Wednesday night started to ease on Friday morning. Records were broken in parts, with the Great Lake region registering 398 millimetres in about a day.
Evacuation orders are in place for people living along the swollen Mersey and Meander rivers, downstream of Lake Isandula dam and in the Launceston suburb of Newstead.
There is also a move-to-higher-ground emergency warning for the St Patricks River.
“This is actually the danger period. Our messaging to the Tasmanian public at this point in time is don’t be complacent,” State Emergency Services acting director Leon Smith told the ABC on Friday.
“All of that rain that’s fallen at the higher altitudes still needs to make its way down through the riverine systems. This flooding will be sustained.”
Smith said it would take several days for the waters to subside.
Emergency services rescued a family of six who became isolated on their property, while a man and woman were helped to safety after driving through floodwaters in their 4WD.
“Just because you’re in a larger vehicle, doesn’t mean the flood waters won’t either sweep you away or stop your vehicle,” Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said.
Authorities warned river peaks in some parts could reach levels seen in mid-2016 when flooding claimed three lives and caused $180 million worth of damage.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts record highs for the Meander and Macquarie rivers.
The north copped 50-150mm of rain, in places breaking October daily records that have stood for more than a century.
Peter Freshney, mayor of Latrobe Council, which sits along the Mersey River, said some properties had been inundated ahead of an expected flood peak on Friday.
“At this stage (the flood level is) below 2016. We'll see what happens when the peak arrives. There’s still a bit of anxiety about that’s for sure,” he told AAP.
“The river is flowing really rapidly. There’s a lot of debris, trees and the like.”
The SES issued an emergency evacuation alert on Thursday night for 42 homes south of the dam at Lake Isandula after being advised it was at risk of failure.
TasWater manager Tony Willmott said the dam filled more rapidly than expected, with an inflow of 70,000 litres per second and was within half a metre of “overtopping”.
The dam is now considered stable and will be assessed further.
About 70 homes in Newstead were evacuated overnight, with the SES receiving 147 calls for assistance in flood-hit areas.
Thousands of people were without power across the state on Friday morning, and some could be cut off for days.
