24.4" Of Rain In 20 Hours In Townsville, North Queensland; Flooding Expected Up To 2nd Story In Some Suburbs

Residents in low-lying parts of Townsville have been ordered to leave their homes by midday amid concerns that flood waters could reach “second-storey level” as heavy rainfall continues to batter north Queensland. Authorities have declared a “black zone” covering six suburbs near the Ross River: Railway Estate, Hermit Park and Rosslea on the northern bank and Idalia, Cluden and Oonoonba to the south.

Most of the concern comes from predictions of severe heavy rainfall on Sunday, including the potential for 300mm in less than six hours. Downpours have been consistent for days, and the Ross River dam above the city is already at 142% of its normal capacity. Speaking to the ABC on Sunday morning, the Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, said about 170 crews had been door-knocking in Townsville, urging people to prepare.

“I am asking people to heed this,” Crisafulli said. “Your safety is more important than anything else. “Some of the falls that we saw overnight in different parts were, quite frankly, at incredible levels. One suburb got 620mm in the 20 hours to 6am. That is over 0.5 metres of water in less than a day. That should give you a perspective of how big it is.”

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Cyclonic-like rain totals have lashed Townsville and surrounding areas, with some places receiving more than 600mm over the past 24 hours. The falls come after isolated seven-day totals of more than 900mm hammered the north tropical coast. The Bureau of Meteorology said the weekend rainfall could lead to flooded homes, businesses and properties; landslides and further road closures. “We’ve seen torrential rainfall continue across the Herbert and lower Burdekin and parts of north tropical coast, with widespread falls of 200mm to 300mm, with isolated falls in excess of that,” the senior meteorologist, Dean Narramore, said.

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/02/townsville-floods-black-zone-urged-to-evacuate-as-parts-of-north-queensland-hit-with-600mm-of-rain-in-24-hours