Hundreds of people have had to be rescued as major flooding inundates parts of the state’s far north.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper has dumped more than a metre of rain in the last five days, swamping homes and roads.
Cairns Airport has also been forced to close with the runways under water.
“This is just about the worst I can remember. I’ve been talking to Cairns locals on the ground and they say they’ve never seen anything like it,” Premier Steven Miles told the ABC.
Emergency warnings remain in place for Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob and parts of Trinity Park.
Evacuation efforts are continuing this morning with more than 300 people already rescued from those areas.
Crews are also trying to reach at least 17 people who are stranded on roofs in two remote communities.
At least nine of those, including a young child, are stuck on the roof of a hospital in Wujal Wujal.
“We know those people are safe in Wujal Wujal we are in communication with them. We have eight adults and one young seven-year-old child on the roof at Wujal Wujal to which we’re trying to get support,” State Disaster Coordinator Shane Chelpy told Nine.
“The conditions both around Cairns and Wujal Wujal are very dangerous, we are seeing heavy rain, we still have winds in the area which is making airlift capacity extremely difficult for us.”
Aeroplanes at Cairns Airport submerged in floodwaters. Unbelievable. Photo credit to C Kirkwood #cairns #cyclonejasper pic.twitter.com/cLGm0tU5TV
— Kate K (@KittyKat_TT) December 17, 2023
The Premier says authorities are working around the clock.
“We have literally hundreds of people on the ground from Police the SES, we have the navy and the army, we have energy workers ready to connect power,” Dr Mile told the ABC.
“But the real problem is the rain just won’t stop and so until it eases up we can’t get aerial support into remote places like Wujal Wujal.”
The state government has asked Canberra for more ADF support to help with rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed defence personnel are on standby to assist.
“Many of those communities will be very difficult to get to which is why the ADF assets will be important in reaching those people and those communities,” Mr Albanese told the ABC.
