Australia is grappling with a dual weather disaster this week, with Victoria beginning a daunting recovery from devastating bushfires while Queensland faces a renewed and dangerous flood emergency.
Victoria's Bushfire Toll and Recovery Begins
Fire conditions have eased across Victoria, offering some respite after a days-long bushfire emergency that has left a trail of destruction. The blazes, sparked during a severe heatwave last week, have burned more than 400,000 hectares of land.
The human and structural cost is severe. The fires have destroyed 350 buildings, including homes, and damaged around 1000 farms. Tragically, the fires claimed the life of cattle farmer Max Hobson. Investigations reveal that sparks from a trailer ignited the Longwood blaze that led to his death.
His wife managed to escape the catastrophic conditions, but Mr Hobson stayed behind to defend his property. His body was later discovered approximately 100 metres from his utility vehicle. While multiple fires continue to burn across the state, authorities have confirmed there are currently no emergency evacuation warnings active, marking a critical shift towards recovery operations.
Queensland's Southeast on High Alert for More Flooding
Meanwhile, residents in Queensland's southeast are on high alert as dangerous flooding continues. The region is bracing for more misery after ex-tropical cyclone Koji unleashed a powerful deluge, cutting off the town of Eungella and forcing evacuations in Clermont.
Emergency crews conducted door-to-door operations, with at least 20 homes inundated by floodwaters. The rainfall has been intense, with over 200mm recorded in Clermont and 150mm in Moranbah from Sunday night into Monday. The isolation for some communities will be prolonged, with Eungella expected to be cut off for up to three months.
Further Rain and Storms Forecast
The situation is set to worsen, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting more severe weather. Meteorologist Dean Narramore warned that widespread rain and storms would return on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Unfortunately we're going to see another rain event through there, in the middle and latter part of this week," Mr Narramore said. He emphasised that this is terrible news for communities still recovering from the heavy rainfall and flooding experienced around the New Year period. This new weather system threatens to exacerbate an already critical situation across the state's southeast.
