One person died and thousands of others are under evacuation orders in Australia’s north Queensland state after heavy rain caused severe floods on Sunday.
Flooding has affected large areas of the North Queensland coast since Friday, with Ingham and the nearby city of Townsville facing significant damage. Residents in low-lying coastal areas have been advised to evacuate immediately.
North Queensland is home to significant zinc reserves, along with large deposits of silver, lead, copper and iron ore. Townsville serves as a key processing hub for the region’s base metals. In 2019, severe flooding in the area halted rail shipments of lead and zinc concentrates and caused extensive property damage.
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“Residents in low-lying areas should collect their evacuation kit and move to a safe place on higher ground. This situation may pose a threat to life and property,” regional emergency management authorities said on Sunday morning.
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