Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Ex-cyclone Jasper moves west but rain continues to fall
More rain is forecast for a flooded far north Queensland as ex-tropical cyclone Jasper moves west over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
December 16, 2023
Residents in flooded far north Queensland are bracing for more rain as ex-tropical cyclone Jasper edges its way toward the Northern Territory.
The category 2 system hit the Queensland coast north of Cairns on Wednesday night before weakening to a tropical low.
Thousands of people have been without power for days and flooded roads have hampered access to towns in the aftermath.
The weather system is at moderate risk of strengthening into a cyclone again mid-next week as it moves west across the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The immediate threat is heavy rain, which is forecast to continue for days.
“Widespread showers and thunderstorms across Cape York Peninsula and North Tropical Coast, with possible heavy falls,” a Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Saturday said.
The most significant rain has been recorded in Cairns, Port Douglas and the Daintree with the latter receiving almost 800mm in 48 hours.
Flood and severe weather warnings remain in place across the region.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority has begun to assess damage after state-federal disaster assistance was announced.
Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man was killed on Friday evening in the Brisbane suburb of Murarrie during “a severe weather event”.
Police said an unconscious man was found lying near fallen powerlines on Murarrie Road with life-threatening injuries and he died a short time later.