Floods Force Evacuations in Northeast Australia In recent news, fast-moving floodwaters rose in northeastern Australia on Monday after forcing many to flee, blacking out homes, and sweeping away a critical bridge. Storms have already dumped more than a meter of rain in two days in parts of Queensland state, engulfing homes, businesses, and roads in muddy waters, authorities said. Aerial footage showed rural communities surrounded by the floodwaters, cut off from nearby roads. "We are going to see widespread rain and storms spread across much of northern Queensland," David Crisafulli, the state's premier, warned in a news conference. Emergency services carried out 11 "swift water rescues" overnight, the premier said. The authorities told 2,100 people in the town to evacuate over the weekend, though about 10 percent refused, emergency services officials said. "The floods were expected to peak on Tuesday morning." The heavy rain is expected to continue for 24 hours before it begins to ease, the national weather agency said. Queensland is Australia's most disaster-prone state, experiencing major floods in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Floods Force Evacuations in Northeast Australia In recent news, fast-moving floodwaters rose in northeastern Australia on Monday after forcing many to flee, blacking out homes, and sweeping away a critical bridge. Storms have already dumped more than a meter of rain in two days in parts of Queensland state, engulfing homes, businesses, and roads in muddy waters, authorities said. Aerial footage showed rural communities surrounded by the floodwaters, cut off from nearby roads. "We are going to see widespread rain and storms spread across much of northern Queensland," David Crisafulli, the state's premier, warned in a news conference. Emergency services carried out 11 "swift water rescues" overnight, the premier said. The authorities told 2,100 people in the town to evacuate over the weekend, though about 10 percent refused, emergency services officials said. "The floods were expected to peak on Tuesday morning." The heavy rain is expected to continue for 24 hours before it begins to ease, the national weather agency said. Queensland is Australia's most disaster-prone state, experiencing major floods in 2019, 2022, and 2023.