Police said the woman died in Ingham when a rescue boat capsized, while David Crisafulli emphasised the urgency of the disaster unfolding in north Queensland.
Police said the woman died in Ingham when a rescue boat capsized, while David Crisafulli emphasised the urgency of the disaster unfolding in north Queensland.
- Updated
- National
- Queensland
- Extreme weather
By Fraser Barton, Melissa Meehan and Cloe Read
February 2, 2025 — 11.26am
A woman has died in major flooding in north Queensland, as residents of six Townsville suburbs were told to evacuate by midday.
Premier David Crisafulli shared scant news of the death on Sunday, but confirmed the woman, believed to be a member of the public, died at Ingham, one of the centres hardest hit by the floods.
Queensland Police said she died when a rescue boat capsized while trying to help residents evacuate flooded areas.
Deputy Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy also said he could not provide much detail about the death.
“I can confirm that the SES were responding to a rescue this morning, when this has taken place,” he said.
Premier David Crisafulli said his thoughts and prayers were with the woman’s family.
He also emphasised the severity and urgency of the flooding, warning residents not to be complacent.
“Locals in Ingham refer to the 1967 flood, that’s one of the large historic floods in that area. The Herbert River reached 15.2 metres in that flood, it’s currently at 14.89 metres and rising,” he said.
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“Some of the falls we saw overnight in different parts were, quite frankly, at incredible levels.
“If people are in a situation where they believe that is a prospect, don’t take the risk. Please leave, and I just can’t be more clear about that.”
He said swiftwater rescue crews, including Water Police, SES and defence personnel, had been deployed in and around flood zones, and he urged anyone who felt they were in danger to call triple zero.
Flood levels are continuing to rise above floorboards and more downpours are forecast, with Townsville already receiving more than 500mm of rain, fuelled by two tropical lows.
The heavy rain is affecting areas of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and North Tropical Coast, extending from Mackay to south of Cairns.
Emergency warnings are in place for six Townsville suburbs in the evacuation zone: Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea.
Major flooding continues across multiple catchments in parts of north-east Queensland, with heavy to locally intense rainfall that may cause flash flooding on Sunday night in some areas.
The latest Queensland flood warnings can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology website or on the state government’s Disaster Management site.
An emergency warning was issued at 5am on Sunday for Hinchinbrook Shire, with authorities urging residents to stay in place.
“Get up as high as you can where you are. There is dangerous flooding,” it warned.
Another emergency alert was issued for Greater Townsville.
It is believed the flooding may exceed levels experienced in March 2018 at Ingham Pump Station, Halifax, Gleneagle, Abergowrie Bridge and Gairloch.
Cyclonic-like rain totals have lashed the Townsville area with some places receiving more than 600mm over the past 24 hours.
The falls come after isolated seven-day totals of more than 900mm hammered the North Tropical Coast.
The weather bureau said the weekend rainfall could lead to flooded homes, businesses and properties, landslides, and further road closures.
“We’ve seen torrential rainfall continue across the Herbert and Lower Burdekin, and parts of North Tropical Coast, with widespread falls of 200 to 300 millimetres and isolated falls in excess of that,” senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said.
“We could even be talking about places in excess of one metre over the next few days. That is an incredible amount of rainfall.”
A severe weather warning is current from Innisfail to Ayr, south of Townsville.
A disaster declaration has been made for both Townsville and Innisfail.
Authorities have sent further resources to the state’s north, with the Australian Defence Force helping on the ground.
“The next 24 hours it is absolutely critical that you listen to emergency services and stay alive to the alerts,” Chelepy said on Saturday. “We are dealing with a dual event here.
“We are dealing with flash flooding from the heavy rain, but we are now seeing impacts from those major riverine systems, which will bring riverine flooding into those communities.”
An evacuation centre is open at Heatley in Townsville for affected residents.
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