SYDNEY: Torrential rains have caused severe flooding in northeastern Australia, leaving one person dead and forcing thousands to evacuate. Rising waters have swallowed homes, businesses, and roads, cutting off entire communities and even washing away part of a vital bridge.

Over the past two days, parts of Queensland have seen more than a meter of rain. Aerial footage shows rural towns surrounded by muddy floodwaters, with no access to nearby roads. On Sunday, one person lost their life in North Queensland as authorities urged residents to move to higher ground to stay safe from the unrelenting rains.

The worst-hit area is Hinchinbrook Shire, a coastal region home to about 11,000 people, located 500 km (310 miles) north of Brisbane. Several suburbs in the nearby city of Townsville are also underwater. Townsville is a key processing hub for the region's rich deposits of zinc, silver, lead, copper, and iron ore. Similar floods in 2019 severely disrupted metal shipments and damaged thousands of properties.

"People in low-lying areas should grab their emergency kits and move to higher ground immediately. The situation is dangerous and could threaten lives and property," warned emergency officials.

The flooding was triggered by a low-pressure system carrying tropical moisture, the weather bureau reported. Rainfall totals could reach up to 300 mm (11.8 inches) in just 24 hours. Authorities also warned that heavy rain, strong winds, and even more flooding could continue into next week, depending on how the weather system develops.

The heavy flooding has swept through much of North Queensland’s coast since causing major disruptions in the town of Ingham and the nearby city of Townsville. Authorities have called on people living in low-lying coastal areas to evacuate immediately for their safety.

In Townsville, those residing in the “black zone", which the area most vulnerable to flooding, were specifically warned to leave their homes by midday on Sunday. To support evacuees, several evacuation centers have been set up across the region.

Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation has issued a warning about crocodiles potentially lurking in the floodwaters, posing an additional threat to residents.

Australia's east coast has experienced frequent flooding in recent years, including RARE ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY floods that hit the Northern Territory in January 2023 during a prolonged La Nina weather event.