(Adds details, background on Queensland floods)
Feb 11 (Reuters) - Australia's Incitec Pivot Ltd IPL.AX said on Monday it would face a weekly loss due to the closure of a rail line connecting the flood-hit city of Townsville in northern Queensland and its fertiliser plant.
The industrial explosives maker said the rail closure would see about A$10 million ($7.08 million) a week wiped off its earnings before interest and tax from Feb. 9 until production can resume.
The company, over the weekend, started to shut down plants within its ammonium phosphate Phosphate Hill facility, it added in a statement.
The northeastern state of Queensland was the scene of severe flooding last week, which forced thousands of people to evacuate after authorities opened up dam gates as torrential rains filled reservoirs to overflowing. said its Phosphate Hill facility had not sustained any damage from the flooding, but added that its Townsville fertiliser distribution and port facilities experienced minor damage but were operational.
Townsville, a major port for northern Australia, is the country's top exporter of copper, zinc, lead and sugar.
($1 = 1.4118 Australian dollars)