A woman has lost her life and thousands have been forced to leave their homes due to severe flooding in northern Queensland, caused by heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings that water levels are expected to continue rising, leading to a “dangerous and life-threatening” situation.
The worst flooding in more than 60 years
Since Friday, parts of north-east Queensland have experienced over 1,000mm (39 inches) of rain, with “record rainfalls” anticipated to persist into Monday, as stated by Queensland State Premier David Crisafulli. Meteorologists suggest this could be the worst flooding the region has seen in more than 60 years. Crisafulli highlighted that the intensity and length of these conditions are unprecedented for the area.
The tragedy
The woman who died was on a State Emergency Service (SES) dinghy that capsized in Ingham, north-west Queensland, after colliding with a tree. She was being rescued at the time and was not an emergency worker. The other five individuals on the dinghy were rescued safely, and an investigation is currently underway. In Cardwell, three people were saved from the roof of a house, while a video emerged showing a man in Ingham being rescued by locals in a boat after his car was swept away.
Future floods
The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group has warned that as many as 1,700 homes in the city could be flooded, with some areas potentially submerged up to the second floor. Thousands of residents across six suburbs were instructed to evacuate by midday Sunday, although about 10% of people opted to stay in their homes.
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