Australia: In northeastern Australia, severe flooding has cut off towns and pushed people to the rooftops in an attempt to escape the rising waters, forcing hundreds of people to be evacuated.
Military helicopters were sent to help areas cut off by the floods, and more than 300 people were rescued in the state of Queensland overnight, officials said.
There are worries that the 160,000 residents of Cairns, a well-known tourist destination that acts as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, won’t have access to clean drinking water soon because floodwaters have cut off nearly all of the town.
According to local officials, the town received more than three times the average amount of rain in December, with roughly 600mm of rain falling over 40 hours until early Monday morning.
All flights into and out of Cairns Airport were cancelled or rescheduled on Monday due to flooding that partially submerged the airport’s plans. Authorities in the region report that over 14,000 properties are without power.
Nine people, including a seven-year-old boy, took refuge on a hospital roof in Wujal Wujal, a rural community in the Cape York region.
In a number of rural locations, including Wujal Wujal and Ingham, crocodiles have been seen swimming in floodwaters.
Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which made landfall in Australia last week, was the cause of the flooding, which was preceded by intense rain and wind.
The flooding, according to Queensland state Premier Mr. Steven Miles, was the worst natural disaster he had ever witnessed in the region.
Mr. Anthony Albanese, the prime minister, announced that the Australian military was prepared to assist with relief and rescue operations.
RECOMMENDED | Australia & Papua New Guinea sign bilateral security deal
