Cyclone Jasper brings floods and crocodile sightings in Australia’s northeast towns

The flooding has become so severe that a crocodile was captured from a storm drain. Over the weekend, Jasper unleashed an unequalled amount of rain in the far north of Queensland state, prompting residents to evacuate their homes and seek refuge on rooftops as rivers quickly rose.

The ongoing heavy rain is hampering aerial support to these remote areas. Queensland's premier, Steven Miles, expressed his concern, saying that this is one of the worst natural disasters he can recall. After destruction across the state, Jasper has been downgraded to a tropical low. 

Media clips showed conservation officials capturing a 9-ft-long crocodile in a storm drain by a gas station in the flooded town of Ingham, which has a population of about 5,000.

While crocodile sightings are common in rivers, lagoons, and swamps in rural areas of north Queensland, they are not typically seen in town areas.

Cairns, a town with over 150,000 residents and known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, experienced heavy rainfall of about 600 mm (24 inches) over a span of 40 hours, which is more than triple the typical December rainfall of 182 mm (7.17 inches).

As a result of the flooding, all flights from Cairns airport were either cancelled or delayed, as seen in images shared on social media showing partially submerged planes on the tarmac.

Efforts to drain water using pumps have been ongoing since Sunday, but Richard Barker, the airport's chief executive, stated that they have been unable to keep up with the large volume of water that entered the area. 

Dan, who lives in the northern part of Cairns near the airport, spoke on ABC Radio using only his first name. He said that he had to seek refuge on top of his kitchen counter for approximately four hours. Eventually, he was taken to a house where a group of 30 people had gathered on the roof, waiting for rescue boats.

On this man's roof, there were kids, elderly individuals, dogs, and cats. He mentioned that the man had recently installed new solar panels, emphasizing the unfortunate circumstances they were all in. The journey was treacherous, as they had to navigate through rapidly flowing water and avoid debris.

Weather experts have predicted that more rain is on the way, as Jasper is expected to last until Monday. Some areas are forecasted to receive 12 inches of rain within six hours. Major flood warnings have been issued, with rivers projected to break records dating back to 1977.

Throughout the region, over 14,000 properties have experienced power outages. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that the defense forces are ready to launch rescue and relief operations. 

Australia is currently facing the El Nino weather phenomenon, triggering various extremes such as wildfires, tropical cyclones, and long-lasting droughts. While floods are affecting the northeast region, the southeast, particularly Sydney suburbs, is anticipating temperatures exceeding 104 degrees on Tuesday, leading to an increased risk of bushfires.