Queensland floods devastation ‘incredible’, state premier says

In Townsville, locals woke to grey skies but only drizzle, and the news that predicted flooding levels did not materialise. It was a stark contrast to the intense downpours which have battered the region over the past few days.

The easing conditions mean people who had been advised to leave six Townsville suburbs may have “dodged a bullet”, the premier said, after earlier forecasts had suggested up to 1,700 homes were in danger.

But further north in the state, poor communications and damaged roads are making it hard to assess the extent of the damage in the towns of Ingham and Cardwell.

“The more information that comes through, the more it appears there is real devastation”, said Mr Crisafulli who grew up in Ingham.

“I’ve seen images of water in businesses that never in my wildest dreams thought I’d see water in shops there in the high part of town,” he said.

More than 8,000 properties remain without power, according to the state’s energy provider, and the partial collapse of a critical highway continues to hinder efforts to assist some of the hardest-hit areas.

Crisafulli said that the recovery effort would “take some time”.