Cyclone Jasper causes severe floods in Queensland, Australia
The aftermath of former Tropical Cyclone Jasper's downpour has resulted in over 10,000 people being left without electricity and prompted multiple evacuations across Queensland, Australia. Following forecasts by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology warning of potentially life-threatening flash floods, local authorities issued warnings on Sunday 17 December. Thousands in northern Queensland were urged to relocate to higher ground due to the imminent risk of flooding caused by the intense rainfall. These floods have affected homes, structures, roads, and bridges, posing a significant threat to essential services like power, water, sewage, and telecommunications. Some communities, as in the area of Cairns are now enduring their worst floods in 100 years.
The flooded areas south of Cairns are visible in this image acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite on 16 December.
Data acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel satellites allow monitoring of the development of disasters worldwide and estimating the extent of the affected areas.
