Monsoonal floods in far north Queensland have resulted in the tragic death of a man in his 70s, who was found in a submerged vehicle in the town of Normanton. As floodwaters continue to rise, emergency services are facing significant challenges, with dozens of roads closed and communities isolated.
The man was discovered on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, prompting a courageous rescue operation by local police. Mount Isa District Acting Superintendent Paul Austin commended the efforts of an officer who braved crocodile-infested waters to recover the deceased. “The SES operator was able to align their vessel with the submerged car, and one of the police officers entered into a significant depth,” Austin stated. “If he hadn’t done what he did, it certainly would have made it a very difficult operation.”
The Queensland Premier, David Crisafulli, expressed condolences over the incident, calling it “a deep tragedy for the North West community.” He emphasized the need for infrastructure improvements, stating, “It’s the roads, it’s the bridges. We have to make sure that people remain connected.”
As flood conditions persisted, Janene Fegan, the mayor of McKinlay Shire, noted that it could take weeks to fully assess the damage and stock losses. Graziers had to wait for weather conditions to improve before launching helicopters to evaluate their properties. “We just don’t know officially yet – it’s just sitting and waiting but it doesn’t look good in parts of the north-west of our shire,” Fegan remarked. “We’ve been told that the water level is quite high, and there are places that could be higher than 2019.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings for isolated heavy rainfall, predicting falls of up to 100 mm in the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders regions. Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury explained that while rain and thunderstorms would continue, conditions might start to ease late in the weekend into early next week.
In response to the widespread flooding caused by monsoonal rainfall, disaster relief has been activated for five councils in north Queensland. Meanwhile, emergency services in Western Australia are assessing damage from ex-tropical cyclone Hayley, which struck the Kimberley coast as a category three storm on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Winds reaching 158 km/h and 132 mm of rain were recorded, but there have been no reports of major damage or injuries.
The ongoing situation in far north Queensland highlights the resilience of local communities and the commitment of emergency services in the face of natural disasters. As assessments continue, the focus remains on providing support to those affected and ensuring the safety of residents in the impacted areas.
