In northern Australia, quick-moving floodwaters rose on Monday, causing many to flee, blackout their homes, and clear a portion of a crucial gate.
Storms have already dumped more than a metre ( 39 inches ) of rain in two days in parts of Queensland, engulfing homes, businesses and roads in muddy waters, authorities said.
Aerial images showed remote areas surrounded by the waters, cut off from nearby streets.
” We are going to see popular rains and storms spread across much of north Queensland”, the state’s top, David Crisafulli, warned in a news conference.
He said,” We are still aware of the possibility of more flooding, including flash flooding and river flooding,” and that we are also prepared for future rain.
Emergency service carried out 11″ timely water rescues” immediately, the leading said.
Sections of flood-hit Townsville, a famous coastal tourist destination that lies near the Great Barrier Reef, had been declared a “black zone”, he said.
” We advise people who are currently in the dark area to stay safe and stay out of that zone.”
The officials told 2, 100 people in the town to leave at the weekends, though about 10 percent refused, emergency service officials said.
” Bridge torn in two”
One woman in her 60s was killed Sunday when the rescue boat she was in flipped over in the flood-hit rural town of Ingham, about 100 kilometres ( 60 miles ) from Townsville, police said.
Her body was recovered afterwards.
The floods swept aside a portion of a material viaduct over a river, cutting off the state’s primary coastal highway, the Bruce Highway, the state premier said.
” Not every day do you see a gate torn in two,” says the author. That’s what has happened at Ollera Creek, and it is important”, Crisafulli said.
About 11, 000 components remained without electricity across north Queensland, Ergon Energy said, with no period given for when electricity will be restored.
The storms were forecast to reach their highest point on Tuesday night, according to Townsville acting president Ann-Maree Greaney.
” The routes at the moment are cut off, but populations are secluded”, she told AFP.
According to the mayor, the town was urging the town to restore power and working with big supermarkets to provide food.
Experts have warned that heatwaves and additional extreme weather events, such as intense flooding, drought, and wildfires, will become more frequent and intense as global temperature rise as a result of climate change.
