Английская Википедия:2023 Cairns floods

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The 2023 Cairns floods are major flooding events occurring in and around Cairns on the north-east coast of Queensland, Australia. Since Cairns' establishment in 1876, there have been numerous flooding events, coinciding with the city's annual wet season. However, the 2023 flooding event broke previous records set in March 1977. The floods were caused by ex-Cyclone Jasper which stalled as a monsoon tropical low over Far North Queensland on 17 December. Floods in the Barron River including its catchment area as well as the Mulgrave River and Russell River were classified as 'Major', and floods in the Herbert and Tully Rivers was classed as 'Moderate'. The Barron River surpassed the March 1977 record of 3.8 metres, making the event the worst flooding event since records began in 1915.

The first suburbs of Cairns to be impacted by the floods were the coastal localities of Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Beach, and Clifton Beach, when Cyclone Jasper made landfall on 14 December. Flood conditions steadily worsened; on 17 December, multiple requests for swift water rescue were made from Machans Beach and Holloways Beach. Watch and act (move to higher ground) orders were given to Caravonica and Lake Placid and leave now orders were given to Bluewater Estate and Trinity Park on the 17th of December. The Cairns Disaster Centre subsequently issued a 'take shelter now' for the entirety of the Cairns Region due to the flood, on the 17th of December.

Increased rainfall caused Tinaroo Dam to spill over its spillway, as well as the Copperlode Dam to spill a peak of 2.78 metres over its spillway, its second highest recorded spillway level. The water spilling over Copperlode Dam caused its catchment creek, Freshwater Creek, to break its banks, threatening the suburbs of Redlynch, Brinsmead and lower Freshwater. The flooding was historic, breaking all records according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Due to the flooding major roads within Cairns were closed for long durations such as the Captain Cook Highway and the Cairns Western Artieral Road.

Response

The Queensland State Emergency Service responded to over 1,000 calls for help by people within the Cairns region. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services swift water rescue crews and SES were also tasked with numerous requests for evacuations, within the coastal suburbs. Many locals utilised personal watercraft to extract people who were trapped on their rooves within the coastal suburbs.

Файл:Freshwater Banks Burst.jpg

A park in Redlynch Valley flooded due to Freshwater Creek bursting its banks on 17 December

On 17 December, Cairns Airport halted all operations due to low visibility and flooding on the runway. Premier of Queensland Steven Miles declared a "serious weather emergency".

On 18 December, Australian Defence Force support arrived, focusing on the most affected suburbs of Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, and Machans Beach.