Authorities ordered the evacuation of large parts of a town of more than 25,000 people in eastern Australia Thursday as a storm system generated by a powerful cyclone that pummeled the northeast two days ago swept down the coast with heavy rain.

Cyclone Debbie hit as a category four storm in the north of tropical Queensland state Tuesday, smashing tourist resorts, bringing down power lines, flattening cane fields and shutting down coal mines.

“This severe weather system that began with Cyclone Debbie and is tracking down the coast is causing havoc across our state,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters in the state capital, Brisbane.

The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low Wednesday but it was driving squalls with torrential rain across a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) stretch of Australia’s east coast, swelling rivers and prompting widespread flood warnings.

In Lismore in the north of neighboring New South Wales state, the State Emergency Service told residents to leave because weather forecasts predicted the town’s worst flood in nearly 20 years.

The rural hub in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales is home to at least 25,000 people.

Further north, Queensland’s government closed more than 2,000 schools as sustained heavy rainfall brought flash floods to the Gold Coast tourist area and Mackay further north.

In the cyclone-hit tropical north, the poor weather has slowed what was expected to be a lengthy cleanup operation.

Military helicopters, ferries and planes brought hundreds of holidaymakers stranded on resort islands in the storm’s path to the mainland, where tens of thousands more people were still without power.

Resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday coast bore the brunt of the storm Tuesday with wind gusts stronger than 260 kph (160 mph).

About 2,500 insurance claims have been filed, but Queensland’s top two insurers, Suncorp Group Ltd and RACQ, said it was too early to put a dollar figure on the damage.

One female tourist was killed in a car crash Monday that police said was the result of wild weather as Cyclone Debbie approached. Another two people were injured as the storm passed through. </s> Flooding in the wake of Cyclone Debbie, which barreled into Australia's northeast coast on Tuesday, has displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes, cut power to at least 100,000, and on Friday led authorities to fear that some might have drowned in the rising waters.

The previous day some towns in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland had received three times the amount of rain they would normally get in a month, the BBC reports .

"There could be people overnight that perished in that flood, we don't know at this stage," Mark Morrow of the New South Wales State Emergency Service told the BBC. "There could be some very distressing news."

Australia's Federal and State governments declared five areas in New South Wales as natural disaster zones and major flood warnings remained active on three local rivers. Central and southeastern Queensland towns were also inundated, with swollen rivers in Queensland expected to pose a continued threat over the coming days, The Guardian reports .

Damage assessments are ongoing in northern Queensland, where the Category 4 Cyclone Debbie made landfall earlier this week. Of about 2,000 assessments already carried out, authorities determined the cyclone had rendered 270 properties unlivable. </s> Australia's east coast is currently being battered by Cyclone Debbie. And with record floods expected, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as authorities brace for damages of hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming days.The Insurance Council of Australia has already declared both the Queensland and northern New South Wales regions as disaster zones, with estimated damages of up to Aus$1 billion ($762 million).Almost 100,000 homes have been left without power and evacuees are unsure of what to expect once the storm finally passes late next week. Many are predicting that Debbie will be the worst tropical storm to hit the area in a century.The disaster zone stretches 1,000 km (600 miles) from Queensland's Gold Coast tourist strip to the farmlands of New South Wales state, and mass evacuations have already taken place though many have been left stranded due to severe floods and high winds."By Wednesday, we will be at peak flooding in Rockhampton [Queensland]," Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said, as cited by AFP. "It will be a gradual rise, so I encourage people to move now."While rescue efforts are ongoing, weather conditions have hampered emergency services as the tropical cyclone rages on.Category four Cyclone Debbie hit northeastern Australia on Tuesday, with sustained winds of up to 158 - 198 km/h (99 - 130 mph) and extremely powerful and destructive gusts reaching speeds of up to 226 - 280 km/h according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology </s> There are fears the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie will have killed people in major flooding overnight, as 25,000 are ordered to evacuate in NSW and 91,000 Queenslanders remain without power.

Homes and businesses are going underwater in Lismore as floodwaters continue to rise even at low-tide, with up to three metres of water expected.

Sirens have sounded in the northern NSW town as residents are warned to head to higher ground and get on their roof if necessary after floodwater topped the levee, ABC reports.

NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow said some of the people who called for help overnight couldn't be reached, with 'distressing news' possibly to come.

'There could be people overnight that perished in that flood, we don't know at this stage,' he told ABC television on Friday.

'We expect this morning that as we start to go out and try to find people that made those calls overnight, there could be some very distressing news.'

Mr Morrow said metres of water would likely flood businesses and homes and the levels could exceed those seen during events in the city in 2001 and 2005.

'What that means to people listening this morning is that most of the businesses in the Lismore CBD will have up to three metres of water over the floor,' he said.

'That's up to about roof level in their house or even higher. A lot of people that are going to be displaced from their businesses or their homes.'

Residents in the flood zone caused by ex-tropical cyclone Debbie have spent the night holed up in evacuation centres, as the system tracked south past Brisbane and into northern NSW.

'About 130 flood rescues, people in cars, people trapped on roofs of houses. We'll get out there as soon as we can in daylight with aerial assets as well, helicopters and we'll try and find those people that made calls to us last night and help them this morning.'

He said about 6,000 people had left their homes.

River levels in some threatened communities were continuing to rise, even on a low tide, when they should be starting to drop.

'In some places further to the north, like Chinderah up around Tweed Heads where the water should be falling on a low tide now it's actually increasing. That's not a good sign for today.'

The wind is expected to pick up on Friday, compounding the dangers.

'We'll start to see trees coming down, potentially powerlines,' Mr Morrow said.

'That's the back-end associated with that cyclone in Queensland.

'We're far from out of this and I think the recovery efforts that are going to have to occur are going to be significant.'

He said 13 evacuation orders remained current, affecting about 25,000 people.

Authorities have lamented those ignoring advice and driving through floodwaters.

SES spokesman Brent Hunter those people were 'playing Russian roulette with their lives', Daily Telegraph reported.

Closer to the Queensland border, residents in 500 homes in the South Murwillumbah, Condong and Tumbulgum areas were also ordered to evacuate, with the Tweed River experiencing major flooding.

People in Tweed Heads South and West, Chinderah, Kingscliff, Fingal Head and Bilambil were told to leave too.

Meanwhile, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing said the state's flood emergency wasn't over, particularly for communities on the NSW border.

'Our greatest area of concern this morning for people living in the areas of Beenleigh, Waterford, Woodend and Beaudesert,' he told ABC television.

'We currently got major flood warnings for the Albert River and the Logan River.'

He described the situation as 'very serious'.

'It is very serious, it's a major flood warning. If you're in low-lying areas, safely move to high grounds.'

Swift water rescue firefighters had saved the lives of 85 people trapped in floodwaters.

Mr Wassing confirmed there had been 'a number of rescues and continue to have as we speak'.

At 1am Friday, Queensland police urged residents of Beaudesert to warn neighbours, secure belongings and move to higher ground as the Logan River rose.

Nine News reported some in Beaudesert had to seek refuge on the roof of their cars as the waters rose.

Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutshke told Daily Mail Australia Lismore and other areas have been hit with the most rain since the floods of 1974.

There is very little rain expected to come but emergency services are warning the danger is not over.

Destructive winds and damaging surf will continue for the rest of Friday in Queensland and northern NSW.

The southeast Queensland town of Beaudesert has been hit by record flooding as bad weather from ex-cyclone Debbie continues to batter Australia's east coast.

The Scenic Rim Council issued an emergency warning to residents in flood-prone areas overnight to move to higher ground as the Logan River continued to rise, though there is no evacuation alert in place.

The Logan River at Beaudesert was at 13.91 metres early Friday morning, equivalent to the level seen in the town's record 1991 flood and the river is not expected to peak until 7am (AEST).

Nine has reported a group of people were forced to seek refuge on the roof of their car after trying to escape floodwaters in the area overnight.

Southeast Queensland has been battered by heavy rain and flash-flooding as the remnants of cyclone Debbie moved through the region on Thursday.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing said the situation remained very serious for communities near the NSW border.

'Our greatest area of concern this morning for people living in the areas of Beenleigh, Waterford, Woodend and Beaudesert,' he told ABC television.

'It is very serious, it's a major flood warning. If you're in low-lying areas, safely move to high grounds.'

Swift water rescue firefighters had saved the lives of 85 people trapped in floodwaters since Thursday.

The situation is even worse in northern NSW where authorities fear people may have died in Lismore as heavy flooding besieged the city overnight.

NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow said there were 130 flood rescues overnight and some people who called for help couldn't be reached and dawn could bring 'distressing news'.

Many Queensland and northern NSW schools remain closed on Friday.

The first guests have been evacuated from the Whitsunday islands resorts smashed by Cyclone Debbie but thousands remain stranded on Hamilton Island.

Daydream Island is expected to be closed for a month as further assessments of the extensive damage continue.

All guests and more than 100 staff have been evacuated from Daydream after the category four storm belted the region but many more remain stuck at other resorts.

The 3,000 people stranded on nearby Hamilton Island, which was lashed with the strongest recorded winds on Thursday at 263 km/h, face a longer wait to reach the mainland.

Twelve flights have been scheduled between Hamilton Island and Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Checking in could take up to 25 minutes per passenger, a statement on the Hamilton Island website said.

'We have been advised airlines will be bringing up large volumes of staff to assist with this process,' the statement said.

The defence force delivered food, fuel and water to Daydream Island earlier on Thursday, while local ferries were organised to shuttle guests back to the mainland.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited Bowen on Thursday morning, making financial aid available immediately to the Whitsunday council to start rebuilding infrastructure.

A emergency services source told AAP South Molle Island, to the northwest of Hamilton Island, had been 'totally devastated' but no one was there when Debbie struck.

Nearby Hayman Island has also suffered significant damage preventing emergency services personnel landing on Wednesday. </s> SYDNEY: A third body has been found in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie and accompanying floods that swamped Australia’s east coast, as receding waters start revealing the human and economic cost of the storm.

The disaster zone stretched 1,000 km (600 miles) from Queensland state's tropical resort islands and Gold Coast tourist strip to the farmlands of New South Wales state.

The body of 77-year-old Nelson Raebel was found in floodwaters in the state of Queensland on Saturday afternoon, Queensland Police said, bringing the national death toll to three since the cyclone hit on Tuesday.

Authorities are still searching for another three people that remain missing in flood-hit areas of Queensland.

Evacuation orders are still in place for a number townships in northern New South Wales, but authorities said on Sunday the flood threat was receding.

“There are still a number of communities subject to evacuation orders and in some instance people have remained in their properties and that’s causing us the biggest challenge at the moment,” Mark Morrow of the NSW State Emergency Service told Channel 9.

Several large rivers that had reached major flood levels were falling, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said on Sunday. But the city of Rockhampton in Queensland state is bracing for record-level flooding next week.

Cyclone Debbie, a category four storm, one short of the most powerful level five, pounded Queensland state on Tuesday, smashing tourist resorts, bringing down power lines and shutting down coal mines.

Australia’s Defence Force was deployed to help deliver medical personnel and supplies to communities in the north of the state.

Debbie will hit Australia's AUS$1.7 trillion (1.03 trillion pounds) economy, with economists estimating it will slow growth to under 2 percent in the first quarter.

Photos taken by emergency services in the town of Lismore, in New South Wales, show businesses in the town centre inundated with brown water.

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the event a catastrophe. </s> A third body has been found in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie and accompanying floods that swamped Australia’s east coast, as receding waters start revealing the human and economic cost of the storm. The disaster zone stretched 1,000 km (600 miles) from Queensland state’s tropical resort islands and Gold Coast tourist strip to the farmlands of New South Wales state.

The body of 77-year-old Nelson Raebel was found in floodwaters in the state of Queensland on Saturday afternoon, Queensland Police said, bringing the national death toll to three since the cyclone hit on Tuesday.

Authorities are still searching for another three people that remain missing in flood-hit areas of Queensland.

 Evacuation orders are still in place for a number townships in northern New South Wales, but authorities said on Sunday the flood threat was receding.

“There are still a number of communities subject to evacuation orders and in some instance people have remained in their properties and that’s causing us the biggest challenge at the moment,” Mark Morrow of the NSW State Emergency Service told Channel 9.

Several large rivers that had reached major flood levels were falling, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said on Sunday. But the city of Rockhampton in Queensland state is bracing for record-level flooding next week.

Cyclone Debbie, a category four storm, one short of the most powerful level five, pounded Queensland state on Tuesday, smashing tourist resorts, bringing down power lines and shutting down coal mines.

Australia’s Defence Force was deployed to help deliver medical personnel and supplies to communities in the north of the state.

 Debbie will hit Australia’s A$1.7 trillion ($1.3 trillion) economy, with economists estimating it will slow growth to under 2 percent in the first quarter.

Photos taken by emergency services in the town of Lismore, in New South Wales, show businesses in the town centre inundated with brown water.

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the event a catastrophe.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now </s> SYDNEY: Australian authorities told 40,000 people to evacuate to higher ground on Thursday as a storm system generated by a powerful cyclone that pummelled the northeast two days ago swept down the coast with heavy rain.

Cyclone Debbie hit as a category four storm in the north of tropical Queensland state on Tuesday, smashing tourist resorts, bringing down power lines, flattening canefields and shutting down coal mines.

Driving rain fell most heavily on Thursday in hinterland and coastal areas either side of the state capital, Brisbane.

"This severe weather system that began with Cyclone Debbie and is tracking down the coast is causing havoc across our state," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters in Brisbane.

The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low depression on Wednesday but on Thursday was driving squalls with torrential rain across a 1,200-km (745-mile) stretch of Australia's east coast, swelling rivers, causing flash floods and prompting authorities to tell 40,000 people to evacuate.

In Lismore in the north of neighbouring New South Wales state, the State Emergency Service order 7,000 residents in low-lying areas to leave after forecasts predicted the town's worst flood in nearly 20 years.

A levee protects the rural hub in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, home to at least 25,000 people, but most of those downtown planned to seek higher ground, Geoff Baxter, a barman at the Richmond Hotel told Reuters.

"We're clearing out the pub, mate, and closing it up. All the shops got closed, everyone's clearing up their cellars," he said.

Further north, Queensland closed more than 2,000 schools as sustained heavy rainfall brought flash floods to the Gold Coast tourist area and Mackay further north.

In the cyclone-hit zone further north still, military helicopters, ferries and planes brought hundreds of holidaymakers stranded on resort islands in the storm's path to the mainland, where tens of thousands more people were without power.

Resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday coast bore the brunt of the storm with wind gusts stronger than 260 kph (160 mph).

"It's kind of chaos down here," Jon Clements, an architect awaiting evacuation from Hamilton Island, told Reuters. "I think there's probably three times the number of people they can put on aeroplanes at the moment down there."

At nearby Daydream Island, where water supplies had run low since the storm, troops brought food, fuel and water while helicopters carried sick guests to the mainland.

The resort will be closed for at least a month for repairs, management said in a statement, as tourism operators statewide reported cancelled bookings and anticipated a long-term hit to trade.

"That's the kind of collateral damage we suffer sometimes in our industry," Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind told Reuters.

In the Bowen Basin, the world's single largest source of coal used to make steel, major miners Glencore and BHP said they were still assessing the extent of any disruption to shipments.

All four coal rail networks run by operator Aurizon were closed, alongside its road and rail operations from the Bowen Basin to Brisbane. Ports at Abbot Point, Hay Point and Mackay also shut, but did not report extensive damage.

Of the smaller miners, Yancoal had called force majeure on its Middlemount mine.

About 2,500 insurance claims have been filed but Queensland's top two insurers, Suncorp Group Ltd and RACQ, said it was too early to put a dollar figure on the damage.

Hundreds of hectares of sugarcane crops were flattened, but Wilmar on Thursday restarted sugar mills at Proserpine and Sarina.

One female tourist was killed in a car crash on Monday that police said was due to wild weather as Cyclone Debbie approached. Another two people were injured as the storm passed through. </s> BRISBANE: Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from towns in two Australian states as authorities warned Friday there could be deaths from severe flooding caused by ex-tropical cyclone.

Category four Cyclone Debbie hit northeastern Australia on Tuesday between Bowen and Airlie Beach in Queensland state, ripping up trees, washing boats onto land and causing widespread damage.

Debbie was downgraded to a tropical low as it tracked southeast, but continued to pack damaging gusts and dump huge amounts of rain all the way down the eastern coast to New South Wales state, south of Queensland, and Sydney.

Lismore near the NSW coast was hard hit, with the State Emergency Service (SES) warning of three-metre (9.8-feet) high flood levels in the town.

“Overnight we had about 130 flood rescues, most of which services were unable to get to. So… as we start to go out and try to find people that made those calls overnight, there could be some very distressing news,” SES acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“There could be people overnight that perished in that flood, we don’t know at this stage.”

Other towns subject to evacuation orders include Tweed Heads, Kingscliff and Murwillumbah.

Further north in Queensland, the popular tourist city of Gold Coast and other nearby regions were also inundated by water.

Bureau of Meteorology regional director Bruce Gunn said there had been widespread rain of between 100-300mm falls over the last two days in southeast Queensland where the Gold Coast is located.

“In terms of what happened in the last 24 or 48 hours, we have seen some pretty big rainfall totals,” he told Brisbane’s Courier Mail.

“There is still that strong risk around the Gold Coast.”

In the areas hit by Debbie, including Bowen, Mackay and the Whitsundays, some 50,000 people were still without power, Queensland officials said.

The military has mobilised 1,300 soldiers to help assess the full extent of damage and aid the clean-up, with helicopters and planes deploying to restore infrastructure and supply emergency food, water and fuel. – AFP </s> Communities along Australia's east coast have been evacuated as floodwaters sparked by the remnants of a powerful cyclone poured into roads and threatened to inundate homes across the region.

Officials told thousands of residents of low-lying communities in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales to move to higher ground on Friday as floodwaters from rain-swollen rivers swamped the area.

The region has been subjected to days of drenching rains after Cyclone Debbie slammed into the Queensland coast on Tuesday with winds up to 260 kilometers (160 miles) an hour. The storm quickly weakened as it moved inland, but continued to dump rain across Queensland and New South Wales through Thursday.

Emergency officials have rescued more than 200 people from floodwaters.
Consequences of heavy rain from Cyclone Debbie kill at least three people and force 20,000 others to leave their homes in New South Wales and Queensland.