Residents of the Townsville and Burdekin shires in northern Queensland are being offered personal hardship assistance grants after Tropical Cyclone Kirrily made landfall on Thursday evening. The grants, funded jointly by the federal and Queensland governments, will provide $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families of five or more. These funds are designed to help those in need after the cyclone, which brought strong winds and rainfall totals of between 100mm and 150mm to the region.
Despite minimal property damage being reported, the cyclone has had a significant impact on the community, with nearly 50,000 customers remaining without electricity. Ergon Energy, the electricity provider, is working around the clock to restore power, with over 23,000 customers still affected at present. This is down from a peak of 66,000 customers who experienced a power outage during the cyclone’s passage.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles has urged those affected by the cyclone to continue conserving water, as power outages have also affected phone networks and water supply for about 10,000 households. The premier has also emphasized the importance of staying safe and avoiding flooded areas, as parts of the state remain at risk of rain and flooding as ex-Cyclone Kirrily moves across the northern interior.
Cyclone aftermath relief begins in northern QueenslandHeavy rain fell overnight in the Lockyer Valley west of Brisbane, the central highlands, and north-west Queensland, prompting the Bureau of Meteorology to issue flood warnings for numerous rivers. The bureau has also warned of potential flooding in the west Kimberley region of Western Australia, where heavy rain is threatening residents along the Fitzroy river.
The impact of the cyclone is a reminder of the devastating floods that affected the same region just a few months ago, when Tropical Cyclone Jasper brought heavy rain, widespread isolation, and major flooding to the area. The recent flooding caused significant damage to infrastructure and the Great Northern Highway, including a major bridge at Fitzroy Crossing, and destroyed close to 40 homes and 40 businesses across the Kimberley.