Residents are preparing to evacuate and beaches and roads have been closed as heavy, cyclonic rain continues to lash north Queensland amid warnings more is on the way.
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Prepare-to-leave warnings were issued on Friday across six low-lying Townsville suburbs after days of relentless rainfall.
Torrential rain caused by tropical lows off the north Queensland coast has closed roads, caused flash flooding and resulted in multiple rescues.
⚠�4:30pm: Severe Weather Warning UPDATED for HEAVY, LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL & DAMAGING WINDS— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) #HerbertAndLowerBurdekin #NorthTropicalCoastAndTablelands #NorthernGoldfieldsAndUpperFlinders 6-hour totals of 200-300mm possible, stay safe 🌧�Details: https://t.co/0xlAx0o0By pic.twitter.com/EyomBGv6EIFebruary 1, 2025
More than 1000mm of rain has been dumped on the region in the past seven days, with no reprieve in sight as the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts daily falls of 200mm to 350mm between Cairns and Mackay through to Monday.
A severe weather warning has been issued with rainfall likely to cause life-threatening flash and riverine flooding, the bureau's Matt Collopy said on Saturday.
Two tropical lows around north Queensland are fuelling the deluge but are unlikely to form into a cyclone.
A third in the Coral Sea has a moderate chance of forming into a tropical cyclone.
Mr Collopy said the region was experiencing cyclonic rainfall totals without a cyclone being declared.
"It's exactly that. You don't need a tropical cyclone to concentrate the monsoon and get these extreme rainfall totals," he said.Â
Two tropical lows around north Queensland are fuelling the deluge. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)
Authorities have been door-knocking in suburban Townsville after the Local Disaster Management Group said flooding to second-storey floors was possible.
Suburbs at risk included Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea.
An evacuation centre has been opened in Heatley for affected residents.Â
The local council has also closed the Strand, Pallarenda and Five Mile beaches.Â
"My message to people in these areas who are on the prepare-to-leave warning - make the provisions in the event you do have to go," Premier David Crisafulli said.Â
David Crisafulli has urged residents in areas where warnings have been issued to be prepared. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
Born and raised in north Queensland, Mr Crisafulli shared a message to his family in Ingham, north of Townsville.
"It doesn't matter whether you've been through one wet season or many - it's important that you listen to advice and that goes for you, Dad," he said.Â
Some 3100 homes had been door-knocked on Saturday with more expected to be visited as the downpour continued.
A disaster declaration is in place for Townsville and Innisfail.Â
No lives have been lost or missing persons recorded.
Additional police, fire and SES resources have been deployed to the region, the state's disaster co-ordinator Shane Chelepy said.
A disaster declaration is in place for Townsville, with many residents sandbagging their properties. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP PHOTOS)
About 300 power company staff are on standby while the Australian Defence Force has been engaged and is assisting on the ground in Townsville.
Mr Chelepy implored residents to stay alert for emergency warnings and heed the advice of authorities.Â
"We do not want to be rescuing you when floodwaters come up," he said.
"It puts you, your family and our emergency services personnel at risk.
"This is a very serious and dangerous event and I believe the next 24 hours will be critical."
Flood watches are in place for the Burdekin, Proserpine and Black rivers, with major flood warnings for the Haughton, Herbert, Ross, Bohle and Black rivers.
Townsville's disaster management group has reported localised flooding in many areas. (HANDOUT/MATTHEW JAMES)
The weather bureau said residents in the state's north could expect potential protracted flooding into the middle of next week.
An emergency flood alert was issued for Townsville by the Local Disaster Management Group on Friday evening, with people warned to prepare to leave as conditions could change quickly.Â
Townsville Local Disaster Management Group chair Andrew Robinson said authorities were not expecting a disaster of a similar magnitude to 2019 when a monsoonal trough hovered over the city and caused flooding that took lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
"Don't wait until it's too late should be the catch-cry," Cr Robinson told reporters on Saturday.
The council has been releasing water from the Ross River Dam to manage water levels.
Australian Associated Press