‘Rainfall won’t end there’: Deluge drowns Queensland’s north, with warning of 700mm

Sandbagging stations are open, and Far North Queensland residents are bracing for a drenching, with a slow-moving monsoon expected to dump up to 700 millimetres of rain over the region.

The large monsoon trough extends from the Northern Territory into Queensland and is bringing widespread rain and thunderstorms as it continues to intensify.

Parts of the region were drenched by more than 300 millimetres of rain in the past 24 hours.

Flood warnings are in place across northern Queensland, as rising waters could isolate communities and strand unwary travellers.

The heaviest falls will be concentrated in Queensland’s Gulf Country, affecting Mount Isa and Julia Creek, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Residents along Queensland’s tropical coast from Cairns to north of Townsville are also on high alert.

Some communities could be impacted over a prolonged period, the weather bureau has warned.

“Heavy rainfall will lead to road closures and community isolation, and this could last for quite some period of time, especially for outback and more remote communities,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathan How said.

In the past 24 hours, 368 millimetres of rain fell at South Mission Beach, of which 196 millimetres was recorded in six hours.

Innisfail and Ingham copped between 100 millimetres and 200 millimetres of rain, while Normanton received 90 millimetres.

The weather bureau is expecting up to 700 millimetres of rain could hit the far north over the next two days, leading up to New Year’s Eve on Wednesday.

“Rainfall won’t end there, we are expecting that monsoon low and trough to continue moving across eastern parts of Queensland, but we’ll have a better idea of where rainfall is expected … through the second half of this week,” How said.

A major flood warning for the Flinders River and moderate flood warnings for the Cloncurry River and Western River are in place.

However, Townsville and Cairns are expected to escape the worst of the weather, the bureau’s senior forecaster Daniel Hayes said.

“There’ve been a few falls north of Cairns, up around the Mossman, Daintree area that have gone over 100 millimetres,” he said.

The bureau has warned 200 millimetres of rain could fall within six hours, producing life-threatening flash flooding.

“Flash flooding can occur quickly and quickly cut off roads and access routes across this period between Christmas and New Year,” bureau forecaster Miriam Bradbury said.

“Many people will be travelling or holidaying, so this is definitely something to build into your plans.

“We could see roads closed, roads cut off completely or turned muddy from the rain, and also communities isolated.”

Sandbagging stations have opened in the Mount Isa and Hinchinbrook areas.

Hinchinbrook, a popular tourist destination between Townsville and Cairns, remained in the firing line, and Mayor Ramon Jayo said the worst was expected from Monday.

“Despite the extensive rain experienced ... river levels remain below minor ,” Jayo posted to social media.

“However, it is critical to understand that this circumstance may change rapidly, dependent upon where the convergence settles and [what] rainfall is experienced and this situation will be monitored closely.”

Residents in low-lying areas have been urged to protect their property, particularly if drainage systems struggle to clear water in the torrential downpours.

Rain is expected for the rest of the week, though it will progressively weaken.

Bureau forecaster Daniel Hayes said the downpour was not expected to match the deluge that caused devastating flash flooding seen this time last year.

“[But] it’s certainly significant, and it’s going to have some impacts, and certainly going to be around for a few days.”

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said her thoughts and prayers were with the affected communities.

“Hopefully that heavy rain will ease by midweek. [But] we may see communities in the far north that will be cut off for some time.”

Frecklington said the state government was ready to support local councils, and they were watching day-to-day to see if assistance from the Australian Defence Force was required.

with AAP

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