Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Norman River and Normanton Through the Weekend

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Norman River and a Flood Warning for the Gilbert River. This update, Warning Number 57, was issued at 2:58 pm AEST on Friday, March 13, 2026, following recent heavy rainfall over the catchments.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the Norman and Gilbert River catchments in Queensland. Specific locations experiencing flooding include:

• Normanton: Likely to remain at moderate flood levels.
• Lower Walker Creek: Major flooding occurring at Burke Development Road.
• Glenore Weir and Yappar River: Moderate flooding occurring.
• Burke Development Road: Major flooding occurring.
• Guildford: Minor flooding occurring.
• Lower Gilbert River: Elevated river levels and flooding occurring.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas are advised to follow these safety precautions:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is dangerous.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded roads.
• Monitor local media and the ABC for updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.
• Visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings for local emergency management advice.

Expected Conditions

River levels are currently elevated across the lower catchments. At Normanton, the river was recorded at 3.97 meters and steady as of Friday morning, having previously peaked at 4.04 meters on Thursday. Levels are expected to remain around the moderate flood level throughout the weekend, with further rises possible as upstream flows arrive. At Burke Development Road, the river level is currently above the bridge deck and remains at a major flood level.

Timeline

The current flood conditions are expected to persist through the weekend of March 14-15, 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next warning update by 4:00 pm AEST on Monday, March 16, 2026.