NEW flood cameras at the Daintree River Ferry crossing are frequently streaming images to the Douglas Dashboard, giving the community a better ability to keep a close eye on river levels this cyclone season.
After multiple ferry closures through the 2017/18 and 2018/19 wet seasons, Douglas Shire Council installed the new cameras at the northern and southern banks to better inform the public about the status of the ferry crossing.
The Douglas Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) has unveiled a new Facebook page and an opt-in subscription for email/SMS alerts at the Douglas Dashboard to improve communication with the local community.
Daintree Ferry flood cameras now live 🌊📷
New flood cameras showing the northern & southern banks of the Daintree River…
Posted by Douglas Disaster Information on Sunday, 4 October 2020
It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology declared an active ‘La Nina’, meaning there is a greater chance of above average rainfall, widespread flooding and tropical cyclones in coming months.
Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr, who is also Douglas LDMG Chairman, said plenty of work was happening behind the scenes to get the community ready this season.
“We can’t control the weather but we can take steps to prepare and protect ourselves,” he said.
“Be prepared and stay connected at the Douglas Dashboard which is your go-to place for local and relevant information during severe weather events.
“I encourage everyone to sign up for the opt-in notifications and follow the Douglas Disaster Information Facebook page for trustworthy updates that will keep you safe this cyclones season.”
The Douglas LDMG will start releasing education material and pre-season tips ahead of Get Ready Queensland Week and SES Week this month.
Households that are well prepared before a natural disaster occurs are more resilient and are able to recover faster.
Douglas LDMG Co-ordinator Paul Hoye said many projects, such as new rain gauge instruments and river level monitors, were installed around Port Douglas, Mossman and Craiglie to improve the accuracy of local weather information.
“Preparation is key because when it comes to extreme weather events in Far North Queensland, it’s not a matter of if but when,” he said.
“Being prepared can save lives, save money and can speed up recovery.”
A new message electronic message board was installed 1.2km south of Barratt Creek Bridge, near Daintree Village, to allow motorists to safely turn around when the crossing is flooded.
Stay updated at the Douglas Dashboard and follow the Douglas Disaster Information Facebook page:
