The northern regions of Queensland are on high alert as they prepare for additional rainfall, with river levels expected to climb further. Reports indicate that more than 16,000 livestock are currently missing or presumed lost amid the escalating flood situation.

Townsville bore the brunt of the adverse weather conditions, experiencing over 200mm of rain in just 24 hours by 9am. This deluge followed a period where more than a metre of rain had already been recorded in some north-western areas of the state.

In a dramatic turn of events, two individuals narrowly escaped disaster when their vehicle was engulfed by swift-moving floodwaters at Cape York Peninsula. Meanwhile, rescue crews executed a daring operation to airlift a man from his motorhome near Dimbulah, located to the west of Cairns.

The state government has released preliminary estimates indicating that approximately 16,450 cattle are unaccounted for or lost, alongside extensive damage to hundreds of kilometers of fencing, roads, and essential infrastructure. These figures are expected to rise as waters begin to recede, revealing the full extent of the devastation.

Forecasts suggest that the low-pressure system will shift north towards Cape York Peninsula in the coming days. However, those in flood-stricken communities are bracing themselves, as river levels are anticipated to continue rising, potentially exacerbating the current crisis.

Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology said there was currently flooding across western and northern parts of Queensland, pushing towards the north-east coast.

“Even in these places where the rain might start to ease off, we will continue to see riverine flooding,” she said.

“We are currently seeing major flooding occurring on the Flinders River at Richmond and Walker’s Bend, and on the Western River at Winton.

“We may also see possible further rises with the arrival of upstream flows.”

Flood warnings are currently in place for the Georgina, Norman, Gilbert, Nicholson, Leichhardt, Herbert, Western, Diamantina, Tully, Burdekin, Cape, Flinders, Cloncurry and Bohle rivers as well as Eyre Creek.

A tropical low is also tipped to form off the coastline from tomorrow.

Premier David Crisafulli announced disaster relief for the affected areas last week.