Australia - Tropical storm "Jasper" makes landfall in Queensland
Masses of rain from tropical storm "Jasper" have flooded areas in the Australian state of Queensland, forcing residents to flee. In the Cairns region, including in the area around the swelling Barron River and below the Copperlode Falls Dam, residents were urged to seek safety at higher altitudes. The airport in the city of Cairns had to be closed due to flooding.
Queensland's Deputy Prime Minister Steven Miles expressed deep concern about the situation in Australia's far north in view of the persistent rain and spoke of a "serious weather emergency". According to Miles, more than 10,000 people were without power on Sunday afternoon (local time). Some residents were also trapped in their homes by the storm.
According to Australian media, a ten-year-old girl who was struck by lightning in the town of Beerwah and was treated at the children's hospital in Brisbane was still in mortal danger.
Emergency services warn of dangerous floods
Numerous people had to be rescued after trying to drive through flooded streets, according to the Queensland Fire Service. "We cannot emphasize more clearly how dangerous this is, not only for those who deliberately put themselves in the water, but also for our emergency responders who are risking their lives to save you," the fire department wrote on Platform X.
The tropical cyclone "Jasper" reached Australia's north-east coast on Wednesday. The storm, which was initially classified as a level two cyclone, weakened to a low, which continued to cover the region with record-breaking rainfall. The affected region is rather sparsely populated, and it is now the summer rainy season in the tropical climes south of the equator.
The authorities warned that the heavy rain would continue for at least another day and that the "life-threatening event" would continue.
Read also:
- Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
- Unanimous decision: faster wolf culls possible
- The year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Snow and ice paralyze southern Germany
The torrential rain from tropical storm "Jasper" has significantly increased the rain mass in Queensland, contributing to the bad weather conditions. Queensland's fire department has been actively rescuing individuals who attempted to navigate flooded streets, highlighting the hazardous nature of such situations. The heavy rainfall has caused flooding across various parts of Australia, including Cairns, leading to the closure of its airport. Due to this tropical storm, over 10,000 people in Queensland have lost power, and some residents are currently trapped in their homes. The rain from tropical storm "Jasper" is expected to persist, contributing to the ongoing flooding and life-threatening event in the area. The sparsely populated region has been experiencing record-breaking rainfall since the cyclone made landfall in Australia's north-east coast.
Source: www.stern.de
