Man dies in Far North Queensland floods as communities cope with rising waters and stock losses
A man in his 70s died in Normanton during severe monsoonal floods when his vehicle became submerged. Authorities recovered the body after a police officer bravely entered crocodile-infested waters, guided by an SES operator who aligned a vessel with the submerged car. The officer’s actions were widely praised.
Dozens of roads remain closed, isolating communities in outback Queensland as floodwaters continue to rise. McKinlay Shire mayor Janene Fegan warned that it could take weeks to assess the full extent of damage and stock losses, with water levels potentially exceeding those seen in 2019. Meanwhile, Premier David Crisafulli expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and highlighted the importance of strengthening infrastructure to maintain connectivity.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast isolated heavy rainfall up to 100mm across the Northern Goldfields, Upper Flinders, North West, and Central West districts, with rain and thunderstorms expected to ease late this weekend into early next week. Disaster relief has been activated for five north Queensland councils amidst widespread flooding over the Christmas period.
After days of heavy rain, conditions improved enough for graziers to deploy helicopters to assess livestock losses. In related weather events, ex-tropical cyclone Hayley crossed the Kimberley coast in Western Australia as a category three storm, bringing winds up to 158 km/h and 132mm of rain, though no major damage or injuries were reported.
