A man has tragically died after his vehicle was submerged in floodwaters in northwest Queensland, as the state grapples with a severe weather emergency triggered by unprecedented rainfall that has cut off towns and inundated vast areas of the outback.
Fatal Discovery in Normanton Floodwaters
Queensland Police confirmed on Tuesday that a man in his 70s was found dead in his vehicle, which was engulfed by floodwaters at Normanton in the state's northwest. The grim discovery was made on Tuesday afternoon.
The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Police used the incident to issue a critical warning to all motorists, urging them to never attempt to drive through floodwaters.
Record-Breaking Deluge Isolates Communities
Two major weather systems have converged over Queensland, drenching the northwest and breaking long-standing rainfall records. Normanton has been one of the hardest-hit towns, with aerial footage revealing a landscape transformed from dry plains into an expansive inland lake.
Local resident Troy Gallagher said the sheer volume of rain had caught the community off guard. "Obviously we've got quite a lot of rain here in a very short period of time and you'd say it snuck up on us a little bit," he remarked.
With Normanton completely isolated, Gallagher has been using his boat to ferry supplies and rescue stranded residents, including a local teacher and his two dogs. He does not expect flood levels to recede for at least another week and a half.
Widespread Impact Across the State
The crisis has stretched across Queensland, affecting communities thousands of kilometres apart. In Cloncurry, famous for its red dirt plains, the iconic soil is now hidden beneath floodwaters, with one local noting the creek had reached its highest level in 63 years.
Properties have been severely impacted. The Curley family's outback station was inundated, their patio now boasting an unexpected waterfront view after more than 100mm of rain fell on Monday night alone.
At the Ernest Henry Mine, the situation was so dire that heavy machinery had to be hoisted to safety and 67 workers were forced to shelter from the rapidly rising waters.
On the state's opposite coast, Mission Beach felt the effects of a separate coastal trough, with one resident standing knee-deep in their backyard while describing conditions as "just a little bit of rain here this afternoon."
Rainfall Records Shattered
The Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed extraordinary rainfall totals. In the 24 hours to 9am Tuesday, some areas recorded over 300mm. Julia Creek broke its December rainfall record after receiving 150mm in just one day.
Bureau of Meteorology's Harry Clark reported seven-day totals of 300 to 400 millimetres for the Gulf country and parts of the northwest.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned the situation remains serious and is evolving rapidly. "We are dealing with communities that will be isolated. There are certainly concerns for agriculture and there are impacts on roads," he told reporters.
"We are not out of the woods yet. We will be continuing to monitor both of those systems closely. It will be a fairly rapidly changing situation," the Premier added, while expressing confidence in the resilience of affected communities.
