Flood-hit Queenslanders warn of crocodiles spotted in swollen waterways
Floodwaters in Queensland have revealed a new danger – with crocodiles spotted in swollen rivers and creeks.
The unwelcome visitors have made their way into the town of Ingham in Far North Queensland, according to residents' photos posted on social media, after four days of torrential rain broke river banks, covered pastureland and cut off towns.
Toby Millyard, crocodile researcher at Australia Zoo in Queensland, said the reptiles were known to use floodwaters in the region to travel to different areas and search for food.
"Some crocodiles love it when it rains and they use the water's currents to travel; they're very smart animals," Millyard said in a phone interview.
"But they're very easy to stay away from. As long as you're not in the water or standing by the edge, then you should be fine."
One resident, Rhonda Brown, posted a photo on Facebook of a huge crocodile she spotted on Lottery Creek Bridge in Ingham on Thursday, warning others to be careful of what might be lurking in the water.
She said she was unsure if it was still alive said it looked very unwell when she came across it.
Another resident said he thinks he spotted a crocodile behind his yard at Trebonne Road on Sunday evening. There was also one report of a crocodile lunging at a 4WD.
Hefty damages bill expected
On Sunday morning, a group of school students and teachers stranded by floods were rescued from an isolated campsite south of Tully, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) spokesman said.
Queensland state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told media on Sunday that it would take several weeks to determine the full extent of the damage, especially on banana and sugar cane crops.
The Queensland state government has declared the area a "disaster" zone, while the Insurance Council of Australia has declared it a "catastrophe", which means that insurance claims will be fast-tracked.
The Queensland government expects a hefty damages bill from the flooding while police patrol affected homes to protect them from looters.
Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford says damage to infrastructure, particularly the road network, will amount to many millions of dollars.
"We're expecting to see some significant damage to roads, to bridges, washouts, culverts those sorts of things," he's told ABC radio.
Authorities are also monitoring sewage and water supply systems.
Floodwaters are finally dropping at Ingham, north of Townsville, where 90 per cent of properties were in some way affected by the tide of brown water that cut the town in two.
Police in flood-hit parts of the north are carrying out additional patrols to guard against opportunistic criminals.
"Patrols will be conducted in an attempt to prevent any person from looting or whatever," Senior Sergeant Joe Mathieson told the ABC.
State disaster co-ordinator Deputy Commissioner Bob Gee said at least a third of Queensland's local government areas had been affected by flooding.
With more rain forecast, he warned the disaster was not over yet.
Seven state schools, five Catholic and independent schools, and seven daycare centres remain closed in flood affected communities.
The bureau says there's a 20-50 per cent chance of the system forming in coming days, and it's expected to move in a south, southwesterly direction.
