Synopsis
A woman has died, and thousands have been forced to evacuate as severe rainfall leads to widespread flooding in northern Queensland. Authorities continue to warn of dangerous conditions, with record amounts of rain expected to persist. Emergency services are responding to multiple rescue operations as water levels rise.Key Takeaways
- Severe flooding has forced evacuations in northern Queensland.
- A woman tragically lost her life during a rescue operation.
- Authorities warn of a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
- Over 1,000mm of rain has fallen, with more expected.
- Emergency services are actively conducting rescues.
Canberra, Feb 2 (NationPress) A tragic incident has occurred as a woman lost her life while thousands are being compelled to evacuate their residences due to severe rainfall that has led to widespread flooding in northern Queensland, officials reported. They further indicated that water levels are expected to keep rising, warning of a dangerous and life-threatening scenario.
In areas of north-east Queensland, over 1,000mm (39 inches) of rain has poured down since Friday, with record rainfalls anticipated to persist until Monday, as stated by Queensland State Premier David Crisafulli.
Crisafulli described the current conditions as unprecedented for northern Queensland, stating, "It’s not merely the intensity, but also the duration of the rainfall that is concerning."
Meteorologists have warned that these floods could be the most severe the area has seen in over 60 years, according to BBC.
The deceased woman was aboard a State Emergency Service (SES) dinghy that capsized after colliding with a tree in the town of Ingham, located in north-west Queensland. It has been reported that she was a civilian being rescued, not a member of the emergency services.
Fortunately, the other five individuals on that dinghy managed to escape unharmed. An investigation into this incident is currently underway.
In related developments, three individuals were rescued from the roof of a house in Cardwell, situated between Cairns and Townsville.
Footage has surfaced showing a man desperately holding onto a pole in Ingham after his car was swept away, later being rescued by locals in a boat.
The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group has indicated that approximately 1,700 homes in the city could be flooded, with some potentially submerged up to the second floor as river levels rise.
By midday on Sunday, thousands of residents across six suburbs in Townsville were advised to evacuate, although officials noted that around 10% chose to remain.
Those same regions were severely affected during the 2019 flooding, as reported by BBC.
Premier Crisafulli implored residents to follow evacuation orders, emphasizing, "In the end, houses and cars and furniture, that can all be replaced. Your family can't."
Later on Sunday evening, a new evacuation center was opened as existing facilities reached their limits.
Road access between Townsville and the tourist destination of Cairns has been blocked, complicating rescue operations and the delivery of sandbags to the most severely impacted areas.
As a result of the flooding, the Townsville airport is closed until Monday morning, supermarkets have run out of fresh produce, and numerous homes are experiencing power outages, including those in Ingham and the Indigenous community of Palm Island.
Additionally, residents have been warned to be cautious of crocodiles that may be found in floodwaters outside their typical habitats.
North Queensland is susceptible to destructive cyclones, storms, and flooding. However, climate scientists assert that rising ocean temperatures and an increasingly hot planet contribute to the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events.
