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Nature and EnvironmentAustralia

Australia: Heavy rainfall pummels Queensland, killing 8

February 28, 2022

At least eight people have died from flash floods that have inundated cities and streets of Australia's Queensland state. Officials predict more rainfall on Australia's east coast in the coming days.

https://p.dw.com/p/47hK8
People use small boats to travel through flood water in Lismore, Australia, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
Authorities have been responding to hundreds of calls for helpImage: Jason O’brien/AP/picture alliance

At least eight people have died from devastating floods sparked by heavy rainfall in Australia's eastern Queensland state.

A 50-year-old man drowned in floodwaters in Gold Coast city, south of Brisbane, on Monday morning, Queensland state police said.

A 59-year-old man died in Brisbane, Queensland's capital city, Sunday afternoon when he tried to cross a flooded creek but was pinned against a fence, state police said earlier Monday.  

An emergency worker and another 34-year-old man were among those killed over the weekend.

Car submerged in flood waters
Authorities fear more rain in some parts of eastern AustraliaImage: Jason O’brien/AAP/picture alliance

Brisbane sees worst flooding since 2011

Brisbane, Australia's third-most populous city, and surrounding areas are seeing some of the worst floodings since 2011. City streets were inundated then too, in what was described as a one-in-a-century event.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said major roads were cut from access, and train and ferry services were halted across Brisbane.

"We're going to have localized flooding in a lot of areas for a couple of days yet," Bailey said.

Floodwaters inundate cities and streets of Queensland
Floodwaters inundate cities and streets of QueenslandImage: BRETT'S DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY/AAP/picture alliance

Emergency services work around the clock

Queensland emergency services made more than 100 rescues after receiving nearly 8,000 calls for help since Sunday afternoon, officials said.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, which issued several emergency alerts over the weekend, warned of heavy rainfall in an alert Monday on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.

Hundreds of people moved to evacuation centers in Queensland and many thousands remained without power.

Flooding in the Brisbane suburb of Milton
Floodwaters destroy homes in BrisbaneImage: Darren England/AAP/picture alliance

Authorities estimate that nearly 2,100 homes and 2,300 businesses were either submerged under floodwater or would become so by Monday. Another 10,000 properties stood to be affected by waters too.

Heavy rainfall affected cities like Lismore, in New South Wales, where 15,000 people had been evacuated as of Monday, officials said.

rm/wd (Reuters, AP)