00:00Australian authorities confirmed Sunday that one person died in floodwaters caused by torrential rain in Queensland.
00:08According to Bloomberg, the fatality occurred in Ingham when a State Emergency Service, SES boat, assisting residents, struck a tree and capsized.
00:18Sadly, we are aware that this morning an SES boat responding to assist members of the public in Ingham capsized at around 9.20.
00:28There were six people on board the vessel. Five people were recovered safely, but sadly one person was deceased.
00:35We understand the deceased member is not a member of the SES, but is a member of the public.
00:40Authorities urged thousands in North Queensland to evacuate to higher ground.
00:45I'm asking Queenslanders to do all they can to make sure that you stay safe, and that means listening to warnings, responding as quickly as you can,
00:54helping out friends and family, and I'm very confident we will get through this.
01:00Meanwhile, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, reported that Townsville Airport will close due to severe weather.
01:08The Townsville Local Disaster Management Group said most residents in six flood-prone black zone areas had evacuated.
01:16The flooding, triggered by a moisture-laden low-pressure system, has brought extreme rainfall.
01:22The Bureau of Meteorology reported over 600 millimetres of rain in parts of northern Queensland in 24 hours, with more expected.
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