Second woman confirmed dead
A second woman has been confirmed dead following devastating floods that have caused widespread destruction in northern Australia. Police discovered the body of an 82-year-old woman in a cane paddock in Queensland on Tuesday, two days after a 63-year-old woman died when her dinghy capsized during a rescue attempt. The region has been overwhelmed by heavy rainfall since Saturday, with some areas in northern Queensland receiving nearly 2 meters (6.5 feet) of rain.
By Tuesday, the severe weather began to ease, though Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned that the situation remained “a disaster that’s going to test the resolve of people” during an interview with ABC. He described the devastation as “incredible” but noted that weather conditions had improved in recent hours, allowing thousands of residents to return to their homes.
In Townsville, locals awoke to grey skies and light drizzle, a stark contrast to the torrential rains that had battered the region in previous days. Forecasts had initially predicted severe flooding, with up to 2,000 homes at risk, but the expected levels did not materialize. Townsville Local Disaster Management Group chair Andrew Robinson told reporters, “We believe that the danger has passed,” while Premier Crisafulli remarked that “the city had dodged a bullet.”
Despite the easing conditions, the floods have left a trail of destruction, and recovery efforts are expected to be challenging for affected communities. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and provide support to those impacted by the disaster.
Local resident Jo Berry shared with the BBC that she and her family were among those returning home on Tuesday after a sleepless night spent monitoring the heavy rainfall. “People talk about PTSD when it rains here, and I totally understand,” said Ms. Berry, who originally hails from Leicester in the UK.
She added, “We’ve been in this house for over 20 years and have been through a few cyclone events and the 2019 flooding, so it’s not our first rodeo.” Ms. Berry was referring to the 2019 floods, which caused an estimated A$1.24 billion (£620 million; $770 million) in damage. Her comments highlight the resilience of local residents, who have faced repeated natural disasters but continue to rebuild and adapt in the face of adversity.
On Monday night, local residents described being “on a knife edge” as they anxiously waited to see if their homes would withstand the flooding. Further north in Queensland, power outages and damaged roads have complicated efforts to assess the full extent of the destruction in towns like Ingham and Cardwell.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli stated that early reports indicated the damage was “quite frankly incredible,” with Ingham, almost entirely without electricity, posing the “biggest challenge.” He told reporters on Tuesday, “There are people who have been inundated at home, in their businesses, and on their farms.”
Local media footage showed long queues at Ingham’s supermarket as residents sought essential supplies. Despite the widespread blackout, Crisafulli noted that the local hospital was functioning normally, and a petrol station remained open.
Nick Dametto, the local MP, shared a video online highlighting the extensive damage to homes, crops, and the coastline caused by the flooding. The situation underscores the significant challenges faced by affected communities as they begin the difficult process of recovery and rebuilding.
“The inundation is something that I have never seen before,” said local MP Nick Dametto, emphasizing the unprecedented scale of the flooding. Ingham, a town of fewer than 5,000 residents, was already grappling with the tragic death of a 63-year-old woman whose dinghy capsized during a State Emergency Service (SES) rescue attempt on Sunday.
The body of a second woman, an 82-year-old, was discovered on Tuesday just north of Ingham after a neighbor raised concerns. Queensland Police confirmed in a statement that she had last been seen on Monday night inside her home. The back-to-back tragedies have compounded the grief and challenges faced by the small community as it struggles to recover from the devastating floods.
More than 8,000 properties across northern Queensland remain without power, according to the state’s energy provider, while the partial collapse of a critical highway is hampering efforts to reach some of the most severely affected areas. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli acknowledged that the recovery effort would “take some time,” with the immediate priority being to collaborate with the army to deliver power generators to isolated communities and “bring them back online.”
Crisafulli also highlighted that federal funding would support the reconstruction of the Bruce Highway, the state’s main thoroughfare, which spans 1,673 kilometers (1,039 miles) and has been significantly damaged by the floods. Northern Queensland, located in the tropics, is no stranger to extreme weather events, including cyclones, storms, and flooding, making it particularly vulnerable to such disasters.
Scott Heron, a local resident and climate expert in Townsville, told the BBC that the latest flooding disaster was not unexpected, given the region’s susceptibility to extreme weather. His comments underscore the ongoing challenges faced by communities in northern Queensland as they work to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of yet another devastating natural event.
“For a long time, climate scientists have been clear that extreme weather events will become more extreme, and we are seeing that,” said Professor Scott Heron, a climate expert at James Cook University and the UNESCO Chair on Climate Vulnerability of Heritage. Prof. Heron emphasized the need for politicians to factor in the realities of climate change as they plan recovery and rebuilding efforts, particularly for critical infrastructure like the Bruce Highway.
He warned that it would be “wasting public money” if infrastructure projects, especially long-term ones such as roads and bridges, failed to “incorporate changing threats due to climate change.” His comments highlight the importance of adapting to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events to ensure that communities are better prepared and more resilient in the face of future disasters.
