Latest newsRecord rainfall in Australia: floods attract crocodiles
SDA
3.2.2025 - 10:23
Residents of north-east Queensland are being evacuated due to flooding. Photo: Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP/dpa
Keystone
Flood waters are rising in the Australian state of Queensland after heavy rainfall. The area between Townsville and Cairns in the north-east is particularly badly affected - a region that is also very popular with tourists. The coastal towns are considered the gateway to the world's largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef.
Keystone-SDA
03.02.2025, 10:23
SDA
In Townsville, it rained as much in three days as it normally does in six months, according to the weather authority BOM, quoted by the ABC. Several rivers burst their banks - and the water is rising.
Near the village of Ingham, which was hit particularly hard, crocodiles were spotted in the water, said local residents. The authorities urged people to be extra careful. Australia is known for its sometimes dangerous wildlife.
Around 400 people were housed in evacuation centers due to the floods, media reported, citing the emergency services. Power was cut in some places. Dozens of schools remained closed at the beginning of the week.
Concerns about food supplies
Many supermarkets also closed because they were partially flooded or no longer accessible. In some stores, there was hoarding and many shelves were empty. The regional government called on the population to remain calm - there were enough food supplies in the warehouses for at least six weeks. Some telephone lines and the internet were also interrupted.
"We are experiencing a significant and prolonged weather event with record-breaking rainfall in many places," said meteorologist Matthew Collopy. He spoke of an "incredible amount of water" and warned that further heavy rainfall was expected. It will probably take days before the situation eases. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on Platform X that the military was also deployed to help the people.
It is currently summer in Australia. In recent years, tropical Queensland has experienced extremely heavy rainfall at this time of year, breaking weather records.
In the west of the country, on the other hand, people are sweating in extreme heat. Here, weather experts expect temperatures to rise to up to 50 degrees in some places.