Cairns cut off by floodwaters, towns evacuated as former Cyclone Jasper continues to devastate

A road closure sign as Cyclone Jasper approached landfall near Cairns in far north Queensland on 13 December 2023. Photo: AFP

By Owen Jacques, Hilary Whiteman and staff for ABC

Cairns is now an island in Far North Queensland, with roads blocked to the north, south and west as it endures the worst flooding in more than 100 years.

The region’s mayors are calling for military intervention, warning that emergency services are becoming exhausted and overwhelmed, with limited access to outlying areas.

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Terry James said evacuations were continuing as floodwaters rise and relentless rain continues.

He said Smithfield’s northern beaches, Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Trinity Park and Yorkey’s Knob all have “significant flooding and the areas are being evacuated”.

James said “hundreds of homes” had water through them and SES crews were “absolutely overwhelmed”, adding that he was speaking with the premier’s office and “looking at all contingencies”.

Douglas Mayor Michael Kerr said it was “absolutely” time to call in the ADF.

“We need help, we need people on the ground,” he said.

“Everyone on the emergency side of it has been going since pre-Jasper – they’re absolutely exhausted.”

More than a century of flood records have been broken by the remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, with river levels outside of Cairns now at their highest since records began in 1915.

James Cook University geo-hydrologist Professor Jonathan Nott said a rain gauge at Myola, outside Cairns, is at its highest point since records began – up to 40 percent beyond the flood records set in 1977.

“This flood is the largest recorded flood that we’ve ever had in Cairns, and it’s larger by a substantial amount,” Professor Nott said.

“It’s a very, very serious flood.”

A motorist drives through floodwater as Cyclone Jasper approaches landfall in Cairns in far north Queensland on 13 December . Photo: AFP / BRIAN CASSEY

‘Unprecedented’ flooding

Bureau of Meterology rainfall data showed Myola has received about a metre of rain, while Black Mountain has been soaked with 935mm in 48 hours.

Professor Nott said the huge amount of rainfall would flow through the Barron River catchment, risking inundation for suburbs along the river downstream.

More than 500mm of rain had fallen since 9am on Sunday in the Barron River catchment, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Late Sunday, flooding of the Barron River around Cairns Airport exceeded the previous peak of 3.8 metres set in March 1977. It had been predicted to reached 4.1m.

The airport closed on Sunday at 2pm as the levels rose, impacting about 20 flights, mostly domestic, said Richard Barker, CEO of Cairns Airport.

The airport could be closed for a couple of days depending on the water levels, with some aircraft underwater.

A man cycles past a downed tree as weather from Cyclone Jasper starts to have an impact on Cairns in far north Queensland on 13 December. Photo: AFP / BRIAN CASSEY

James said the flooding was “unprecedented”.

“When I was a young fellow living in Cairns, I’ve seen rain like this and that’d be 50 years ago,” James said.

“This is intense rainfall and it’s not going anywhere because of ex-Cyclone Jasper. It’s just moving very, very slowly.”

Rainfall ‘not able to escape’

Flooding along the Barron River is also affecting Caravonica, Lake Placid and Kamerunga.

Residents in those areas were advised earlier on Sunday to move to move to higher levels of their home or to seek shelter with friends and family, but more evacuation centres were opening.

BOM forecaster Harry Clark said a separate thunderstorm warning had been issued for the Cairns region.

“This is on top of the severe weather warning,” he said.

“It’s falling at a very quick rate. That rainfall is obviously not able to escape with all the water already on the ground.”

Flood warnings have also been issued for the Herbert, Murray, Daintree, Mulgrave and Johnstone rivers.

Elsewhere, water is covering roads making driving unpredictable and dangerous.

All roads from the Tablelands to the coast are now closed, with people urged to stay where they are.

The Bruce Highway south from Cairns to Ingham is already closed, and Hinchinbrook Mayor Raymond Jayo has warned that access south from Ingham to Townsville is likely to be cut off.

“The locals won’t be surprised but it’s the travelling public that we’re more concerned about. We don’t want them to get caught up here, if need be, waiting for rivers to fall,” Jayo said.

Levels are also high at Halifax, over five metres, but Jayo said he did not expect major inundation of homes.

Townsville Airport remains open but travellers are advised to check before leaving for scheduled flights.

More than 12,000 properties were without power in the Far North at 8pm Sunday, according to Ergon Energy’s outage map.

Engineers had already been trying to restore power to homes after power outages cause by Tropical Cyclone Jasper last week.

This story was originally published by the ABC.