Thousands Evacuate Homes as Floods Hit Australia, Is Climate Change Wreaking Havoc?

Rising floodwaters in northeastern Queensland, Australia, caused power outages in homes and swept away part of a critical bridge on February 3, reported AFP.  According to BBC, a woman died on February 2 in the town of Ingham as the floods devastated areas including Townsville and Cardwell.

Meteorologists warned that these could be the worst floods in the region in more than 60 years, with parts of the region already experiencing almost 1.3m (4.2ft) of rain since February 1, causing rivers and reservoirs to overflow, reported BBC.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said that the area had received six months of rainfall in just three days. According to another BBC report, Queensland’s tropical climate is naturally vulnerable to extreme weather, but climate scientists have warned that rising ocean temperatures and global warming can be linked to climate change.

Read More: Somerset Floods Force 100 Evacuations in UK, A Sign of 2025’s Extreme Weather?

Climate Change Wreaking Havoc

According to The Guardian, the extreme rainfall events of 2025 resemble those of the 2019 Townsville floods and the 2023 Cairns and Daintree floods.

These floods were triggered by prolonged heavy rain falling on the south-east flank of a stationary tropical low weather system. Normally, tropical lows bring wind and rain but move through quite quickly. However, some these systems are now stalling, dumping huge volumes of rain in one location.

Last week, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that five tropical lows were forming around northern Australia, reported The Guardian. These tropical lows, which are embedded in the region’s monsoon trough draw in warm, moist air from adjacent tropical seas and can form tropical cyclones. However, all extreme rainfall events are not only caused by cyclones.

Scientists suggest that rising sea-temperatures and slow-moving deep  monsoons are also contributing to huge amounts of rain and widespread flooding. As oceans warm, they release more moisture into the atmosphere, increasing the likelihood of intense rainfall and flooding. This is because the atmosphere can hold 7% more water vapour for every 1 degree Celsius of warming, amplifying the intensity of rainfall, stated NASA Science.