Severe flash floods hit Townsville after heaviest rains in 27 years, Australia
Severe flash floods hit north Queensland on March 19, 2025, after over 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain fell over parts of the region, inundating homes and roads. The worst affected areas were Ingham and Townsville, where more than a month’s worth of rain fell in just 8 hours.
Image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, Zoom Earth, The Watchers. Acquired at 22:20 UTC on March 18, 2025
Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding across north Queensland on March 19, particularly in Townsville and Ingham. Roads were closed, homes were damaged, and vehicles were submerged.
In Townsville, an elderly man required assistance from neighbors after falling in floodwaters, while in Ingham, emergency crews rescued two elderly women trapped in their cars.
In the 24 hours leading up to 09:00 AEST on Wednesday, Townsville recorded 301.4 mm (11.86 inches) of rainfall, more than one-and-a-half times the city’s March monthly average of 188.9 mm (7.44 inches). The most intense period occurred between 01:00 and 09:00 AEST, when 241.4 mm (9.5 inches) fell in just eight hours.
Other areas also recorded extreme totals, including Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island, which registered 351 mm (13.8 inches).
Over three hours before 04:00 AEST, Townsville Airport was hit by 147 mm (5.79 inches) of rain, Pallarenda received 146 mm (5.75 inches), and Louisa Creek had 132 mm (5.20 inches).
Since 09:00 AEST Tuesday, Toolakea has had 293 mm (11.54 inches), Bluewater has recorded 284 mm (11.18 inches), and Cardwell has now had 258 mm (10.16 inches) after receiving 202 mm (7.95 inches) on Tuesday afternoon.
The rain was driven by a moisture-laden onshore flow combined with a coastal trough. Additionally, a mesoscale low – a localized low-pressure system – likely formed over the ranges southeast of Townsville, intensifying convection and causing near-stationary heavy rain. This system pulled in moisture from the northwest and east, sustaining extreme rainfall rates for hours.
Townsville has already experienced a major rainfall event in 2025. In early February, the city received 284 mm (11.2 inches) in 24 hours, 545 mm (21.5 inches) in 48 hours, and 710 mm (28 inches) in 72 hours, an event classified as rarer than a one-in-2 000-year occurrence.
While heavy rain remains possible through today and Thursday, meteorologists expect the current event to be less extreme in duration, as the main rain band has begun shifting southeast.
Despite the easing rainfall, the situation in Townsville remains serious. Numerous roads and schools are closed due to flooding, and emergency services continue to monitor water levels in low-lying areas.
References:
1 Homes flooded, cars destroyed, as flooding again hits north Queensland – ABC – March 19, 2025
2 Heaviest rain in 27 years inundates Townsville – weatherzone – March 19, 2025
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