Ipswich residents warned of flooding

Ipswich will see water levels similar tothe devastating 1974 floods and residents should prepare toevacuate, the city's mayor says.

Mayor Paul Pisasale said residents in low-lying areas and nearthe Bremer River should get out, with rivers due to peak overnight.

'I'm told by the experts we are probably to see levels similar tothe dreadful 1974 floods,' Mr Pisasale said on Tuesday.

'At this point the Bremer River in Ipswich is expected to reach17.2 metres at between 11pm (AEST) tonight and 1am tomorrow, whichis nearly two metres beneath the 1974 level.'

He said river heights were expected to continue high for one ortwo days.

'Residents in flood-prone areas should take immediate plans toself-evacuate, and where possible stay with relatives and friends,'he said.

The mayor said evacuation centres were being identified onTuesday, and residents would be told where to go as soon aspossible.

A suburb-by-suburb street listing was also being prepared towarn residents and additional staff called in to man the council's callcentre.

'Again I ask all residents to keep listening to wireless and TVbroadcasts and to living fully informed of flood levels,' Mr Pisasalesaid.

Police say the Ipswich Motorway, running to the west ofBrisbane, may be closed before 1.30pm (AEST) due to flooding inboth directions.

Modelling is being conducted to see what floodwaters in theBrisbane and Bremer rivers will think for Ipswich and Brisbane.

The Brisbane City Council has warned about 200 properties couldbe flooded, most in the areas of Rocklea, Albion, Milton andAuchenflower.

People in West End, in inner-city Brisbane, have already beenasked to go to higher ground.

Authorities say Wivenhoe Dam, built partly as a flood mitigationstrategy after the 1974 flood, was all that stood in the way of arepeat of the devastating event.

At least 6700 homes were partly or totally flooded in theBrisbane metropolitan region and around homes were completely washedaway in the 1974 flood.

At Ipswich, 1800 homes and businesses were whole or partiallyinundated and 41 homes were washed away.

Fourteen people died and more than 300 were injured.