Monsoon rains have triggered severe flooding in Queensland, Australia, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives as the relentless downpour inundated small towns along the state’s north coast. Over the course of a week, the region experienced rainfall equivalent to several months, leading to widespread devastation.
Authorities reported that an 82-year-old woman was discovered deceased in a paddock near Ingham on Tuesday, following the earlier death of a 63-year-old woman who died when the rescue boat she was in collided with a tree and capsized on Sunday. The flooding has forced hundreds of residents from their homes, disrupted essential infrastructure, and contaminated drinking water supplies in the hardest-hit areas.
Queensland’s north coast is no stranger to tropical storms; however, the extent of this week’s rainfall has been described as extraordinary by state Premier David Crisafulli. As floodwaters began to recede, a few hundred individuals remained in evacuation centers, and the full scale of property damage is yet to be assessed.
Since Saturday, the region has seen nearly 2 meters (6.5 feet) of rain, with some areas recording six months’ worth of precipitation in just a few days. The heavy rains caused a critical bridge to collapse into Ollera Creek near Ingham, complicating recovery efforts and leading to significant travel delays.
While fewer than 10,000 properties were reported to be without power on Tuesday, Crisafulli indicated that officials are collaborating with military personnel to provide generators to affected areas. A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for parts of the state.
Meteorologists attribute the monsoon rains to two tropical low-pressure systems, one being influenced by a marine heatwave in the Coral Sea. These weather patterns, exacerbated by rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change, have been increasingly frequent in Australia, leading to more severe flooding events.
In contrast, parts of Western Australia faced extreme heat, with temperatures soaring and severe heatwave warnings issued across many states. The Bureau of Meteorology has cautioned residents about potential thunderstorms and heatwaves, highlighting the extreme weather conditions affecting the country.
The recent flooding in Queensland is a stark reminder of the climate challenges Australia faces, with the region grappling with both devastating floods and the threat of bushfires in the summer months. As communities begin the recovery process, the impact of these weather extremes continues to raise concerns about future climate-related disasters in the region.