Floods Hit Cyclone-Damaged Queensland

Added by Elivia DeVries on February 28, 2011

The recovery and clean-up of towns affected by cyclone Yasi is being interrupted by torrential rains and flash floods, and more rains are expected, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

According to hydrologist Jimmy Stuart, the Cassowary Coast, which was badly damaged when the category five cyclone hit in February, has received 600mm of rain in the past four days alone.

“The rain has eased off but there are still further falls forecast,” he told AAP, and flood warnings have been issued for Tully and Murray rivers.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council mayor Bill Shannon, said “We were pretty lucky to have a couple of weeks after the cyclone (with) little rain, so we were able to make some very good progress but this will slow it down a little bit.”

A Cassowary Coast resident, Cr Shannon, who is stranded on his farm at Biyana south of Tully, told AAP “It’s [the flooding] not out of the ordinary, it happens every wet season.”

Tully has received 115mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am (AEST) on Monday with 123mm falling in Innisfail, according to senior forecaster Brian Rolston, who explained that the wet conditions are being caused by a monsoon trough.

Cairns and surrounds have also been affected by the heavy rains, with 516mm recorded at Kamerunga and 497mm at Cairns airport during the past four days.