Vast areas of Australia’s Queensland under water after ‘unprecedented’ flooding
Communities in Queensland, Australia, are grappling with severe flooding described as “unprecedented,” following days of heavy rainfall that have submerged vast areas and cut off transportation routes. The flooding has reached levels not seen in over 50 years, particularly in western Queensland, where some regions have recorded rainfall exceeding 600 millimeters—almost double the annual average.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that the flooding situation is expected to persist for weeks as significant flood peaks move downstream. Flood alerts are currently active across central and southern Queensland, with more rain forecasted over the weekend as a weather system shifts southeast.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli emphasized the extraordinary nature of this event, stating, “This isn’t typical wet season rainfall. We are confronting an event of unprecedented scale in many of these areas”. Towns such as Jundah, Stonehenge, and Windorah have reported water levels surpassing those from the historic floods of 1974, raising concerns about potential devastation to agricultural land and livestock losses that could reach hundreds of thousands.
As recovery efforts continue, residents are urged to prepare for additional rainfall and possible evacuations, with state officials coordinating disaster response and support for affected communities.
Communities like Stonehenge have been submerged, with the Thomson River exceeding historic 1974 flood levels, reaching 7.4 meters on March 27 and potentially climbing to 8 meters. Similarly, towns such as Jundah, Windorah, and Adavale have faced record-breaking inundation, forcing evacuations and cutting off major transport routes like the Bruce Highway. In northern Queensland earlier this year, Townsville saw the Ross River Dam hit 163.8% capacity, while over 8,000 homes lost power across regions like Hinchinbrook and Mackay. The ongoing deluge has led to at least two flood-related deaths and 25 fatalities from a subsequent disease outbreak, alongside economic damages estimated at $1.2 billion AUD as of mid-March.
The flooding’s scale has been exacerbated by saturated catchments and slow-moving weather systems, with forecasts indicating continued heavy rain into the weekend. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has called it a “crisis,” noting impacts on agriculture, with potential livestock losses in the hundreds of thousands. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has warned of persistent severe weather, with no immediate relief in sight for many areas, marking this as one of the state’s most challenging flood events in decades.
