Communities across Queensland are facing a dual crisis as severe flooding cuts off outback towns while coastal residents monitor a developing tropical low that could form into a cyclone.
Outback Towns Submerged and Isolated
In a dramatic reversal of fortune for the typically arid landscape, vast floodwaters have inundated outback Queensland. The town of Winton, home to fewer than 1000 people, is now completely cut off as water closes in. A local resident confirmed the community is bracing for more water to arrive within the next 24 hours.
Further north, the situation in Normanton within the Carpentaria Shire is equally dire. The only viable method for transporting essential supplies into the town is by boat. Local butcher Troy Gallagher reported moving about 45 pallets of supplies by boat from the "critters camp" and highlighted the logistical nightmare, stating that because the Gilbert River has flooded, two expected B-double truck deliveries cannot get through.
Residents like Gallagher are going to extraordinary lengths to help, including attempting to rescue stranded cattle from crocodile-infested floodwaters.
Widespread Damage and Government Response
The impact of the relentless rain is widespread. Near Greenvale at Greys Creek, a local bridge has been completely submerged following more than one metre of rainfall in just seven days. Transport networks are severely disrupted with almost 150 roads closed, stretching from north of Roma, west to Birdsville, and as far north as Cooktown.
Graziers are facing devastating livestock losses, with fears the death toll could reach tens of thousands of animals. In response, the state and federal governments have announced $2 million in emergency funding for primary producers in the McKinlay Shire. This money is earmarked for critical fodder drops to sustain surviving livestock. Sports Minister Tim Mander stated authorities are "ready and able to assist where we have to."
New Threat: Cyclone Watch for the Coast
As inland communities battle floods, a new danger is forming offshore. The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring a tropical low that poses a cyclone threat to the Queensland coast. Forecaster Harry Clark advised that while there is only a "very low chance of a tropical cyclone" forming in the next seven days, the heavy rainfall risk is significant and ongoing.
Heavy rain and showers are forecast to continue over the weekend, with falls of up to 100mm expected by Sunday night. The heaviest rainfall is predicted for the coastal strip between Townsville and Mackay. Clark issued a clear warning: "Regardless of what this tropical low does, we still have the potential for heavy rainfall over the next few days."
The state now finds itself on two fronts: inland regions grappling with an unprecedented flood emergency and coastal areas preparing for potential cyclonic conditions and further deluges.
