A man in his 70s has died as a result of flash flooding in north-west Queensland, with two major weather systems dumping record-breaking rainfall across large parts of the state.
Premier Confirms Tragic Loss for Community
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed the death this morning, stating the loss would “cut deep” for the local north-west Queensland community where the man was a well-known resident. Speaking from Mount Isa where he was assessing the damage, the Premier delivered a sobering message. “In the end, property can be replaced. People can’t,” he told Sunrise.
Record Rainfall and Widespread Damage
While the weather system is beginning to break up, Premier Crisafulli warned that some isolated areas have received rainfall totals greater than the massive 2019 floods that devastated the region. “This is certainly not as widespread as that, but there are isolated pockets where people have had some really, really significant damage and some significant loss,” he said.
More wild weather is forecast for the coming days, with isolated heavy falls of up to 100 millimetres possible for parts of the northern goldfields, upper Flinders, north-west and central west districts.
Emergency Response and Major Disruptions
The severe weather has triggered major disruptions across the state's transport network. Thirty-seven roads are currently closed, including critical sections of the Bruce Highway, Queensland's main coastal artery. Authorities are urging residents to check the official disaster.qld.gov.au website for accurate road information, rather than relying on navigation apps like Google Maps.
Emergency crews are now focused on two key tasks:
- Clearing landslips and reconnecting severed roads.
- Organising fodder drops to reach cattle stranded in isolated areas in the coming days.
Stock movements have already been underway to move cattle to safer ground, particularly from the Hughenden area.
Praise for Resilience and Preparedness
Premier Crisafulli praised emergency workers, including health professionals flown in overnight, and SES volunteers who cancelled leave to respond. He expressed confidence in the state's preparedness, noting that swift water rescue crews, senior police and ambulance officers had been pre-positioned across the region. “We’ve prepared for this event better than I’ve ever seen in Queensland history,” he stated.
Acknowledging the challenging conditions typical for the region, the Premier added, “This is wet season rain, it’s what happens in north and far north Queensland... They are very resilient people.”
