Damage bill expected to run well into millions but farmers welcome end to six-year drought

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The damage bill from flooding in northern Queensland is expected to run well into the millions – and more wild weather is expected to hit the state’s southeast this week.

Recovery efforts are under way in the far north as heavy flooding starts to recede, but damage is only just beginning to be assessed and expected to be costly.

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However, the Bureau of Meteorology is still monitoring tropical cyclone Linda, a category 1 cyclone that formed in the Coral Sea. Linda is expected to move southeast towards the Queensland coast, but will remain offshore, curving south on Wednesday.

Large waves, winds and dangerous surf conditions are predicted as a result of tropical cyclone Linda and a severe weather warning has been issued for the south coast.

The area between Cairns and Townsville has been declared a disaster by the state government and labelled an official catastrophe by the Insurance Council of Australia after torrential rain caused severe flooding across the region.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk surveys floods in Ingham. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Ingham, in north Queensland, experienced severe flooding with about 90% of properties affected in some way by the rising waters.

The mayor of the shire of Hinchinbrook, Ramon Jayo, said damage costs were expected to be in the millions.

“We are just starting to assess the situation as the water recedes and are expecting significant damage from what we have seen so far,” he said.

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, visited the area on Sunday and said recent flood mitigation work had prevented more serious flooding.

“Some of those resilience measures we put in place actually meant the water was two feet lower,” she said.

Palaszczuk said it would take several weeks to determine the full extent of the damage, especially on banana and sugar cane crops.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A house surrounded by flood waters in Ingham. Photograph: Reuters

The chief of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Brendan Moon, will oversee disaster recovery operations across the state alongside local councils of the affected areas.

It has been reported that the premier will also send two members of her cabinet to the affected regions to assist with the cleanup.

A project manager for the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, Ross Henry, said the flood waters would cause damage to paddocks, plants and crops as well as affecting farmers’ ability to get supplies in and out of their properties, but it was not all bad news.



“The last week has been mixed fortunes for farmers across the state, there is flooding in the north, particularly from the Herbert, and north-west, but, after the six years of drought, much of the rain will be welcome,” Henry said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Water floods a gas station on Friday. Photograph: Reuters

“Despite the flooding, the positive is that dams and aquifers used for irrigation and farming will be filling up.”

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The receding flood waters have revealed some unwelcome visitors. According to Ingham residents’ photos posted on social media, crocodiles and snakes have made their way into the town.

Toby Millyard, a crocodile researcher at Australia Zoo, said the reptiles were known to use flood waters in the region to travel to different areas and search for food.

“Some crocodiles love it when it rains and they use the water’s currents to travel; they’re very smart animals,” Millyard said. “But they’re very easy to stay away from. As long as you’re not in the water or standing by the edge, then you should be fine.”

With Reuters

