• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
X
Burdekin Shire Council Logo Burdekin Shire Council Logo
SEARCH
CONTACT

Contact Burdekin Shire council via phone or email.

  • (07) 4783 9800
  • enquiries@burdekin.qld.gov.au
  • Online Contact Form
MENU
  • Home
  • About Council
    • Contact Us
    • Our Organisation
      • Organisational Structure
      • Our Vision, Mission and Values
      • Customer Service Charter
    • Mayor and Councillors
      • Mayor Lyn McLaughlin
      • Deputy Mayor Sue Perry
      • Councillor Kaylee Boccalatte
      • Councillor John Bonanno
      • Councillor Michael Detenon
      • Councillor John Furnell
      • Councillor Max Musumeci
    • Council Meetings
      • Archived Agendas and Minutes
      • Burdekin Road Safety Advisory Committee
      • Burdekin Local Disaster Management Group
    • Local Laws
    • Policies
    • Fees and Charges
    • Documents and Publications
      • Annual Reports
      • Strategic Asset Management Plans
      • Budget Reports
      • Contracts Valued $200,000 or More
      • Corporate Plans
      • Operational Plans
      • Strategies, Plans and Reports
    • Employment with Council
    • Latest News
    • Media Releases
    • Public Notices
    • Right to Information
      • Publication Scheme
      • Disclosure Log
      • Personal Information Holdings
    • Compliments, Complaints and Suggestions
    • Subscribe to our eNewsletter
    • Council Logos
    • Making an Insurance Claim
  • Library, Arts and History
    • Libraries
      • Membership
      • All about us
      • eBooks and eAudiobooks
      • eMovies
      • eLearning
      • Online information
      • Collections
      • Finding new authors
      • Create@108 Space
      • For the little ones
      • For children and teens
      • For parents and teachers
    • Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF)
    • History
      • Burdekin Bridge
      • Local history collection
      • Images of the Burdekin
      • Library artworks
      • History of the Burdekin Library
    • Arts and Cultural Strategy
  • Business and Investment
    • Doing Business with Council
    • Burdekin Regional Profile
    • Industry Workshops
    • Invest in the Burdekin
    • Business Directory
    • Make the Cane Change
    • Pick Burdekin
  • Cemeteries
    • Burial Register
  • Community
    • Australia Day Awards
      • Australia Day Award Recipient History
      • Current Australia Day Award Recipients
    • Calendar of Events
    • Citizenship Ceremonies
    • Community Consultations and Surveys
    • Community Directory
    • Community Maps
    • Community Message Boards
    • Facilities and Public Spaces
      • Parks and Public Conveniences
      • Boat Ramps and Camping Grounds
      • Aerodromes and Airstips
      • Caravan Parks and Swimming Pools
      • Venues for Hire
    • Grants and Sponsorship
      • Community Grants Program
      • Interest Free Loans for Sporting Bodies
    • Happy Healthy Home
    • Museum of Tropical Queensland
    • Street Stalls and Raffles
  • Emergency Management
    • Key Contacts
    • Are You Ready?
    • Recover After a Disaster
    • Emergency Evacuation
    • Local Disaster Management Plans
    • Storm Tide Evacuation Maps
    • Types of Disaster Events
      • Floods
      • Cyclone
      • Storm Surge
      • Severe Thunderstorm
      • Earthquake
      • Bushfire
      • Tsunami
      • Heatwaves
      • Landslide
  • Health and Environment
    • Licenses and Approvals
      • Personal Appearance Services
      • Footpath Usage
      • Food Business Licence
      • Temporary Food Business Licence
      • Environmentally Relevant Activities
      • Rental Accommodation
      • Caravan and Campground Approvals
    • Public Health
      • Mosquito Management
      • Overgrown Allotments
      • Abandoned Vehicles
      • Rats and Mice
    • Environmental Matters
      • Environmental Nuisance
      • Water Pollution
    • Food Safety
      • Food Safety Supervisor
      • Food Safety Programs
      • Food Safety Training
    • Beach and Dune Protection
    • Land and Pest Management
      • Council's Biosecurity Plan
      • Pest Plants including aquatic
      • Pest Animals
      • Biosecurity Property Plans
      • Biosecurity Obligations
      • Services and Subsidies
    • Environmental Levy
    • Reef Guardian Council
  • Pets and Animals
    • Animal Regulations
    • Animal Registrations
    • Microchipping
    • Desexing
    • Impounded Animals
    • Barking Dogs
    • Dog Breeders
  • Planning, Building and Development
    • Planning and Development
      • Planning Act Scheme
      • Development Applications
      • IPA Planning Scheme (Superseded)
    • Building
      • Applying for a Building Permit
      • Flood Certificates
    • Plumbing
  • Property Ownership and Rates
    • How to Pay your Rates and Payment Options
    • Electronic Rate Notices
    • Understanding Your Rates
    • Pensioner and Other Concessions
    • Utility, Separate and Special Charges
    • Property and Rating Information Searches
    • Have Your Details Changed?
    • Dividing Fences
    • Pool Safety Compliance
  • Roads and Infrastructure
    • Application to Close a Footpath
    • Permit for Erection of Gates and Grids
    • Driveway or Crossover
    • Lay Pipes
    • Lay Underground Electricity in Council's Road Reserve
  • Waste and Recycling
    • Waste Management Facilities
    • Illegal Dumping
    • Bin Collections
      • When is my bin day?
      • What to put in each bin
      • Waste Collection Services
    • A-Z of Waste and Recycling
    • Agricultural Waste
      • drumMUSTER
      • Fertiliser Bags
      • ChemClear
      • Agricultural Plastics
    • Waste Education
    • Queensland Waste Levy
    • North Queensland's Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan
  • Water Services
    • Wastewater
      • Manholes - Spraying for Cockroaches
      • Sewerage Infrastructure
      • Trade Waste
    • Water
      • Damaged or Broken Water Meters
      • Discoloured Water
      • Drinking Water Quality Management Plan
      • Fire Hydrant - Hire of Metered Standpipe for Swimming Pool Filling
      • How to Read Your Water Meter and Find Water Leaks
      • Installation of Bores
      • Key Performance Indicators - Water and Wastewater
      • New Water Service or Changes to Existing Water Services
      • Water Billing
      • Water - Conservation
      • Water Quality Sampling
      • Water Quality Sampling for Shire Residents
      • Water - Shared Rights and Responsibilities
      • Water Warriors
    • Customer service standards for water and wastewater
    • Water and Sewerage Service Areas
  • Projects
    • Burdekin Water Park
  1. Home
  2. Emergency Management
  3. Types of Disaster Events
  4. Storm Surge
  Back

Storm Surge

What is a storm surge

A storm surge is a rise above the normal water level along a shore resulting from strong onshore winds and / or reduced atmospheric pressure.

The combination of storm surge and normal (astronomical) tide is known as a ‘storm tide’.

The worst impacts occur when the storm surge arrives on top of a high tide and when this happens, the storm tide can reach areas that might otherwise have been safe. Additionally there are pounding waves generated by the powerful winds.

The combined effects of the storm tide and waves can destroy buildings, wash away roads and run ships aground.

Picture representing a normal high tide

 

Picture of a Storm Tide

 

The paths of cyclones are often unpredictable, which makes it hard to forecast exactly when and where a cyclone will cross the coast. This makes it difficult to predict how high the astronomical tide will be when the storm surge impacts, since the time difference between high and low tide is only a few hours. The Bureau of Meteorology issues warnings to the public that are based on the ‘worst case’ assumption that the cyclone will cross the coast at high tide.

The difference between strom surges and tsunamis

Storm surges and tsunamis are generated by quite different phenomena.  While both can cause inundation and significant damage in coastal regions, they have quite different characteristics.

A storm surge is generated by weather systems forcing water onshore over a generally limited stretch of coastline.  It wll normally build up over a few hours, as the cyclone or similiar weather system approaches the coast.  Normally wind-waves on tiop of the surge will contribute to its impact.

A tsunami is generated by earthquakes, undersea landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions or leteorites.  These travel great distances, sometimes across entire oceans affecting vast lengths of coastal land.

BEFORE a storm surge

Check the following websites for advise:

Burdekin Shire Council www.burdekin.qld.gov.au

Burdekin Shire Council Emergency Dashboard https://disaster.burdekin.qld.gov.au

Burdekin Shire Council Disaster Coordination Centre Facebook page www.facebook.com/BurdekinDCC

Bureau of Meteorology  www.bom.gov.au

Follow the following steps:

  • Hold a family meeting to prepare your household Emergency Plan so everyone knows what to do, where to meet and how to get out.
  • Prepare your Emergency and Evacuation Kits.
  • Clean up the yard. Clear away all loose material.
  • Check and fix loose fittings, such as railings. Check windows and install shutters if possible.
  • Tie down sheds or other small structures not permanently fixed. Secure caravans, boats and vehicles or tie them together or to strong structures.
  • Sandbag areas at risk from flooding, such as doors and windows where possible.
  • Close all doors.
  • Store potable water.
  • Put important documents such as photo albums in plastic bags up high in cupboards.
  • Identify how and where to turn off the mains supply for water, power and gas.
  • Disconnect electrical items.
  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed so food will stay cool without power for several hours.
  • Move livestock, pets, machinery and animal feed to higher ground.
  • Move outdoor equipment, garbage, chemicals and poisons to a higher location.
  • Know your Evacuation Zone (storm tide) and evacuation routes.

AFTER a storm surge

  • Have a battery operated radio and tune into your local radio station and heed warnings and advice.
  • Don’t go outside until officially advised it is safe.
  • If you have evacuated, don’t return home until officially advised it is safe and don’t panic. Wait until water has fallen below floor level to enter a house.
  • Don’t use electric appliances if wet.
  • Beware of damaged power lines, bridges and trees.
  • Do not enter flood waters - if it’s flooded forget it.
  • Heed all warnings and don’t go sightseeing. Instead, check and offer help to neighbours, friends and family.
  • Don’t make unnecessary telephone calls.
  • Check whether electricity, gas or water supplies have been affected.
  • Wear rubber boots or rubber-soled shoes and rubber or leather gloves.
  • Watch for damaged flooring, walls and ceilings as well as unexpected visitors such as snakes.
  • Treat all items exposed to floodwater as contaminated. Dispose of rubbish, wash mud, dirt and debris as soon as you can.
  • Wash hands thoroughly after handling anything that has been in contact with floodwater.
  • Follow any instructions for treating water and discard any food exposed to floodwater.

 

Disaster Management Related Links

  • Disaster Dashboard
  • Emergency Action Guide
  • Recover Fact Sheet
  • Respond Fact Sheet
  • LDMG Fact Sheet
  • Prepare Fact Sheet

145 Young St, Ayr QLD 4807

(07) 4783 9800

2023 © Burdekin Shire Council

  • Right to Information
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy