North Queensland's tropical coast is bracing for more heavy rain as a monsoon trough lingers over the region. Flood-affected communities are still struggling to recover from last week’s widespread inundation, with further rainfall expected to complicate clean-up efforts. Reporter Chloe Chomicki has more from Townsville.
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00:00Two men have been found safe and well after a search and rescue operation was launched
00:08last night north of Townsville.
00:11It happened at Crystal Creek.
00:13The men were travelling in a car which became stuck in floodwaters and they abandoned the
00:19vehicle.
00:20Police confirming this morning that they have been located safe and well.
00:25But it is an example of how dangerous the conditions remain up here in north Queensland.
00:32In Garoo, a community south of Townsville, the Burdekinshire Council is urging residents
00:38to seek higher ground.
00:40That warning only came in due to flooding that's still occurring in the Horton River
00:45catchment and it's expected to peak just below another peak that it hit on the weekend.
00:52What the Bureau of Meteorology is telling us is that heavy falls are expected to continue
00:58for the North Tropical Coast today.
01:00That's for areas from Tully all the way down south to the Whitsundays region and 24 hour
01:05totals of 250 millimetres is possible.
01:09At Ullera Creek Bridge north of Townsville, repairs are underway.
01:14A temporary road was reopened last night allowing freight and emergency vehicles to use the
01:21bridge which has been a major issue for transportation in between Ingham and Townsville.
01:27The temporary road was only open for some hours before the Department of Transport and
01:32Main Roads said it would have to be closed again for some repair works but the hope is
01:38that this afternoon it could open to be used by everyone which will be a massive relief
01:44to people who have been stranded but also those truckies trying to get food back on
01:49the shelves in far north Queensland.
01:52And then taking a more broader look at the region, there are still many households without
01:57power, some who haven't had it for more than a week and as far as further road closures
02:02go, the Flinders Highway west of Townsville is closed in multiple areas and the Bruce
02:09Highway south of Townsville between Eyre and Home Hill is cut by floodwaters as well.