Eastern Australia Sees Rising Floodwaters, Sparks Evacuations

In northeast Australia, rapidly rising floodwaters continue unabated, forcing massive evacuations, knocking out electricity supplies to residences, and destroying part of an important bridge.

Severe storms have already dumped more than one meter (39 inches) of rainfall in just two days across parts of Queensland, submerging homes, businesses, and roads in murky floodwaters, according to local authorities.

Widespread Flooding and Isolated Communities

Aerial footage reveals entire rural communities cut off as floodwaters swallow surrounding roads.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned during a news conference:

"We are expecting more widespread rain and storms across northern Queensland. The risk of additional flooding, both flash flooding and riverine flooding, remains high."

Emergency services responded to 11 swift water rescues overnight as floodwaters continued to surge.

Townsville Declared 'Black Zone'

The northern parts of **Townsville, a major coastal city near the *Great Barrier Reef*, is considered a "black zone" under severe flooding.

"Our advice to residents is to avoid going into black zone areas and maintain safety," Crisafulli added.

Over the weekend, police had ordered 2,100 residents to leave their homes, with 10% refusing to go according to the emergency services.

Tragic Loss And Infrastructure Damage

In the town of Ingham, 100 kilometers from Townsville, which has been badly hit by the floods, a 60-year-old woman died when a rescue boat capsized in the churning waters, police said.

Also, a vital bridge was ripped in half, complicating rescue efforts and isolating communities further.