Queensland floods: Airport submerged and crocodiles seen after record rain

Northern Queensland is grappling with flash floods as tropical cyclone Jasper unleashes extreme weather, depositing a year’s worth of rain in some regions. Attempts to evacuate a settlement hit by rising water have been hampered by heavy rain. The Cairns airport runway is flooded, trapping planes, and floodwaters in Ingham feature a 2.8m crocodile. Wujal Wujal’s evacuation, with 300 residents, was called off due to adverse conditions.

No reported deaths or missing people have occurred so far, but authorities anticipate the flooding to be the state’s worst on record, with intense rainfall expected for another 24 hours. Hundreds have been rescued, homes inundated, and essential services disrupted. Cairns has experienced over 2m (7ft) of rainfall since the event began, leading to airport closures. Queensland Premier Steven Miles describes the disaster as one of the worst, with locals expressing unprecedented conditions.

Wujal Wujal residents, including a sick child, spent the night on a hospital roof, and further evacuation attempts are planned. Concerns include drinking water, sewerage, power, telecommunications, and blocked roads. Forecasters predict continued rain, intensifying with a high tide, affecting low-lying communities. While rain is expected to ease on Tuesday, rivers are yet to peak, with some exceeding records set in 1977. The disaster’s estimated cost is over A$1bn (£529m; $670m). Eastern Australia faces frequent flooding amid an El Niño weather event, contributing to a series of recent disasters, including droughts, bushfires, floods, and coral bleaching. The UN IPCC report warns of worsening disasters without urgent climate change action.