Second Woman Confirmed Dead as Devastating Floods Grip Northern Australia

A second woman has been confirmed dead as catastrophic floods continue to wreak havoc across northern Queensland, leaving communities grappling with destruction and uncertainty.

The body of an 82-year-old woman was found in a cane paddock near Ingham on Tuesday, a day after she was last seen at her home. Her death follows that of a 63-year-old woman, who perished on Sunday when a rescue dinghy capsized in raging floodwaters.

The region has been inundated with nearly 2 meters (6.5 feet) of rain since Saturday, submerging homes, destroying roads, and cutting off power. While flood levels have started to recede, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned that the disaster would continue to challenge affected communities.

In Townsville, residents breathed a sigh of relief as predicted flood levels did not materialize. Local authorities said the city had “dodged a bullet,” sparing thousands of homes from the worst-case scenario.

However, further north, the situation remains dire. In Ingham and Cardwell, power outages and impassable roads have made it difficult to assess the full scale of the devastation. Ingham remains almost entirely without electricity, and long queues have formed outside supermarkets and petrol stations as residents scramble for supplies.

Local MP Nick Dametto described the flooding as “something I have never seen before.”

With homes, farms, and businesses inundated, recovery efforts are underway, but the damage is extensive. Emergency services continue to work around the clock, but many areas remain inaccessible due to floodwaters and debris.