CAIRNS, Australia, Dec 19, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Rescue teams on Tuesday evacuated
a flood-ravaged town in northeastern Australia, racing to airlift hundreds of
people to safety before they run out of food and water.

Surging floodwaters have cut off the town of Wujal Wujal in Queensland state,
engulfing houses, washing away roads and forcing some trapped residents to
shelter on roofs.

The largely Aboriginal settlement, in one of Australia's most disadvantaged
regions, has borne the brunt of a major flooding disaster that unfolded in
the wake of a tropical cyclone.

Queensland police disaster coordinator Shane Chelepy said rescue helicopters
were preparing to evacuate the town of between 250 and 300 people.

"We know that we've only got about another day's worth of water in that
town," he told national broadcaster ABC on Tuesday.

"We've had impacts to food, power, overall water, and that's why we're doing
that evacuation today."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that four military
helicopters -- including two heavy-lifting Chinooks -- had been deployed to
help the evacuation.

An earlier rescue attempt was abandoned on Monday afternoon because it was
"too dangerous to get the choppers through", the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire
Council said.

- 'Billion-dollar impact' -

Queensland has been battered by damaging winds and driving rain in the wake
of Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which barrelled in off the Coral Sea late last
week.

Flood damage has been reported along an expanse of coastline that stretches
about 400 kilometres (250 miles) across the state's tropical northern region.

With floodwaters slowly receding following days of pummelling rain, disaster
response crews are only now coming to grips with the full extent of the
devastation.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick has already predicted the floods would have
a "billion-dollar impact" on the state.
 
Police said they were conducting welfare checks in more than 30 isolated
communities, many of which were still without electricity and running water.

Amid the sombre updates provided by authorities, there were also tales of
daring flood rescues and even brief moments of levity.

Prime Minister Albanese praised a mystery pilot known to locals as "Magoo",
who used a small cattle-mustering helicopter to rescue 16 people from the
Lions Den pub near Cooktown.

Albanese said Magoo used the two-seater helicopter to pluck people from the
roof "one by one", ferrying them to higher ground before zipping back to find
others in distress.

"These are the stories of which every Australian can be proud," he told
reporters.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles took a moment to remind eager volunteers to
put on shoes before striding out into waterlogged disaster zones.

"Today is not the day to wear thongs," he said, using the Australian slang
for flip-flop sandals.

Researchers have repeatedly warned that climate change amplifies the risk of
natural disasters such as bushfires, floods and cyclones.