Queensland: Residents across north Queensland are being smashed by intense rainfall and fierce wind gusts after Tropical Cyclone Koji crossed the coast, triggering flooding, power disruptions, and multiple emergency rescues.
Wind gusts of up to 100km/h brought down trees and fences as the system tracked south to south-west, placing communities from Bowen to Mackay in the path of severe weather, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) confirmed.
In Marian, around 30km west of Mackay, residents reported rapidly rising water levels and road closures as conditions worsened. BoM recorded 146mm of rain in just two hours at nearby Gargett, highlighting the intensity of the downpour.
Tourists and locals brace for impact
In Mackay, tourist Josephine Tobias, staying at a local caravan park, said conditions were manageable but ongoing. Further north in Bowen, residents were placed on high alert as wind direction suddenly shifted. Coral Cove Apartments manager Karyn said the system had become increasingly unpredictable, but power remained on.
Heavy rain continued to batter Ayr and Mackay, while damaging gusts hit the Whitsunday Islands, a key tourism hotspot.
Emergency rescues reported
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed that a mother and her two children were rescued from floodwaters west of Bowen after their car became trapped while following Google Maps directions through inundated roads.
Other rescues included:
- Two men abandoning a sinking vessel off the coast near Cannonvale and swimming to shore
- Two men and five children rescued from a flooded home in Finch Hatton after climbing onto tables as water levels rose
Flood risk remains high
BoM senior forecaster Dean Narramore said the system brought most of its heaviest rainfall south of the cyclone’s centre, increasing flood risk from Ayr and Bowen through the Whitsundays. Although Koji has now been downgraded to an ex-tropical cyclone, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cautioned that the danger remains.
Anthony Albanese stated that, “Life-threatening flash flooding is a major risk along a significant stretch of Queensland’s coast. People must continue to monitor emergency updates closely.” Warnings remain in place for communities between Townsville and Mackay, including Bowen, Proserpine and the Whitsundays, with higher-than-normal tides and continued heavy rainfall expected.
Authorities are urging residents, particularly those in low-lying areas, to avoid travel through floodwaters and remain vigilant as conditions evolve.
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