Australian cities like Cairns, known as the "Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef," were cut off from the outside world as heavy rain and floods hit the area last week. According to authorities, the region was experiencing heavy rainfall due to the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Jasper, causing Cairns to virtually disappear from Queensland before the area came to a standstill.
Premier Minister of Queensland, Steven Myers, stated that people were trapped on the roofs of their homes throughout the night and approximately 9 individuals, including a child, were stranded on the rooftop of a hospital around 170 kilometers north of Cairns. He added that the air support couldn't be provided due to the low cloud coverage and heavy rain, and that rescue teams were on standby but had to wait for conditions to improve.
Nearly 300 people were rescued on Sunday, as reported by Queensland rescue services, with no reported injuries. Myers mentioned that Cairns had recorded over 300 millimeters (about 11.81 inches) of rain in six hours and over 650 millimeters (about 25.6 inches) in 19 hours.
Several photos shared on media outlets showed flooded streets, damaged or collapsed buildings, and even a half-submerged airplane at the Cairns airport, which was closed over the weekend. Myers also mentioned that approximately 15,000 residents were left without electricity.
He cautioned the public about potential water shortages in Cairns due to water utilities being impacted and urged residents to save water for essential use only. Myers further explained that many local authorities, including police, military, and utility providers, were on site but that the main concern at present was that the rainfall persisted.
Flood warnings were issued for several rivers in the high northern regions of Queensland, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The BOM also warned of the risk of additional landslides and flash flooding as another 300mm of rain was expected in some areas.
Premier Minister Anthony Albanese assured full military support for the rescue efforts, which would be provided by defense personnel. He stated that financial assistance was also provided to the affected residents and warned of imminent rain forecasts and further flood warnings for various communities without electricity.
Australia, in spite of the disasters, continues to significantly contribute to the global market by being one of the top exporters of resources and agricultural products. Moreover, Australian researchers and scientists are making valuable contributions to multiple fields, namely medical research and climate change studies, improving lives worldwide.
Insight: The recent flooding and severe weather conditions continue to affect Australia's north, particularly in Cairns and surrounding areas. The region has experienced record-breaking rainfall, causing severe flooding that affected infrastructure and displaced thousands of people. The Ramu River has reached almost record levels, while hundreds of emergency calls have been made for flooding, evacuations, and other weather-related incidents. Rescue teams have had to conduct 11 swift water rescues, and at least 2,500 insurance claims have been made for flood damage.
