Parts of far north Queensland have been ravaged by record flooding with extraordinary photos showing airports closed and residents forced to climb onto roofs waiting to be rescued.
Heavy rain from ex-tropical cyclone Jasper has caused flash flooding across Cairns with the city now cut off due to flooded roads.
Cairns Airport has been forced to close with parked planes underwater.
The area was hit with totals of more than a metre worth of rain with water levels expected to break 1977 flood records with flooding in parts of Cairns already at record levels.
Rescue vessels have been deployed and the navy has been called on to assist with heavy rain forecast to continue throughout Monday and into Tuesday.
Cairns Airport has been forced to close because of severe flooding, with extraordinary images showing multiple aircraft submerged in a rising torrent on the runway
James Cook University geo-hydrologist Professor Jonathan Nott told the ABC the flood is the largest ever recorded in Cairns ‘by a substantial amount’.
‘It’s a very, very serious flood,’ he said.
Professor Nott said the rainfall would flow through the Barron River catchment which could flood several areas downstream.
Residents have been urged to seek shelter with emergency flood warnings issued for Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob and parts of Trinity Park.
An emergency alert has also been issued for Wujal Wujal where major flooding from the Bloomfield River was affecting properties.
Evacuations and rescues have been carried out, mostly at Mossman, Douglas, Gordonvale and Innisfail, and homes in low-lying areas have been inundated.
Roads including the Bruce Highway were cut off and several bridges were severely damaged.
Emergency services including , surf lifesaving and water police have been evacuating residents in low lying areas with dozens stranded in their properties access to communities cut off by the water.
Some locals made their way onto roofs to escape the floods with authorities forced to wait until before it was safe to rescue residents.
Pictured is the view of Cairns Airport carpark underway
Two men were left stranded on the rooftop of their remote ranger station near Battlecamp Rd in Melsonby Homestead without supplies on Saturday following rising floodwaters (Pictured: flooding in residential neighbourhoods in far north Queensland)
Th floods have thrown Christmas travel plans into chaos with officials at Cairns airport working with authorities to inform customers about flights that have been cancelled.
‘This decision has been made as we continue to work closely with authorities and stakeholders, including our airline partners,’ Cairns Airport said in a statement.
‘Please contact your airline directly for information about specific flights. Another update will be published following the review at 6pm.’
Earlier emergency crews were forced into a desperate wait to rescue two men who were left stranded on the rooftop of a remote Cape York property.
The pair had been forced to climb to the top of their ranger station near Battlecamp Rd in Melsonby Homestead, northwest of Cooktown, on Saturday evening following torrential rain.
Emergency services were alerted to the men’s location about 11.40pm when a member of the public reported the situation.
The duo do not have mobile reception and have been communicating to a friend, the police informant, via Wi-Fi.
‘Last night it was too dangerous to get the helicopter out. The plan was to get there this morning, but the helicopter cannot deploy due to dangerous weather. The earliest crews can deploy is midday,’ a police spokeswoman told the Cairns Post.
‘They are still on the roof and have been since 3am.’
‘(It’s been reported) they have no shelter, no water and no food.’
The urgency of the situation was escalated at 9.55am on Sunday morning due to an increased threat to the men’s lives.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services confirmed they are aware of the situation, readying water rescue crews and the helicopter pilot to locate and rescue the men.
Wild weather and ‘life-threatening’ flooding aren’t expected to ease for days with multiple rescues and evacuations having been carried out over the weekend, mostly at Mossman, Douglas, Gordonvale and Innisfail.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services confirmed they are aware of the situation, readying water rescue crews and the helicopter pilot to locate and rescue the men (pictured: Clifton Beach experiencing severe flooding)
This comes following multiple rescue and evacuations in the state’s north as Cyclone Jasper rips through the region (pictured: Landslip on Palmerston Hwy)
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A man in his 60s was on Saturday afternoon struck by lightning at Biggera Waters on the northern Gold Coast (stock image pictured)
Ex-tropical Cyclone Jasper is lashing the north of the state, with areas between Daintree to Ingham receiving more than 450mm of rain.
The Bureau of Meteorology said more than 20 rain gauges in the region had recorded more than a metre of rainfall, with the water levels expected to break 1977 records.
‘It’s important to note with this scenario that flash-flooding and riverine flooding can change very quickly,’ meteorologist Laura Boekel said on Sunday.
‘This is very much an evolving situation,’ she warned.
There was a ‘very high likelihood’ conditions won’t ease until Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency warnings are in place across the state, as thousands of people are urged to move to higher ground.
People at the Blue Water Estate in Trinity Park were urged to leave the area immediately at 1pm due to a dangerous flooding and to seek shelter in a high place.
Roads were closed throughout the Cairns area due to ‘life-threatening flash-flooding’, a Queensland Police spokeswoman said.
Homes, buildings, roads and bridges have been inundated while authorities also warned of landslides and the risk that vital services like power, water, sewerage and telephone services could be cut off.
Residents have been urged not to drive, to take shelter inside and stay up high with people in the Barron catchment and Machans Beach particularly at risk.
Major flood warnings have been issued elsewhere in far north Queensland including for the Daintree River, Mossman River, Herbert River, Johnstone River Catchment, Mulgrave River, Russel River and Tully River.
Emergency warnings are in place across the state, as thousands of people are urged to move to higher ground (pictured: Pictures of Cairns Regional Council’s floodmaps from 11am Sunday, December 17)
Cairns airport also shut down on Sunday afternoon, with flooding levels predicted to exceed 3.8 metres.
‘A further assessment will take place at 6pm,’ the airport said in a statement.
‘This decision has been made as we continue to work closely with authorities and stakeholders, including our airline partners.’
Jasper has now reached the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria as a low after dumping as much as a metre of rain on parts of the state over a four-day period.
The category 2 system hit the coast north of Cairns on Wednesday night before weakening to a tropical low.
The category 2 system hit the coast north of Cairns on Wednesday night before weakening to a tropical low (pictured: Flooding from the Mulgrave River at Goldsborough)
It hovered over far north Queensland including the Cape York Peninsula on Saturday and led to more rain falling on already sodden regions.
The system is slowly moving west and there is a chance Jasper may redevelop into a cyclone from Wednesday as it moves north, according to Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Emergency services are pleading with people to take care in the wet weather and to prepare their properties, with the SES reporting it has responded to hundreds of requests for help.
Disaster relief for people impacted by Jasper has been widened to include Yarrabah council with up to $900 available to cover the cost of essentials for large families and extra help reconnect with utilities.