Cooktown will take in the entire population of 300 people from Wujal Wujal after torrential rain in northern Queensland caused devastating flooding after ex-tropical cyclone Jasper.
Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott has pleaded for more food and supplies after a plan was hatched to relocate the flood-hit Aboriginal Wujal Wujal community to Cooktown on Monday.
Cairns has copped widespread flooding from ex-tropical cyclone Jasper. (Brian Cassey/AAP PHOTOS)
The Australian Defence Force is travelling north to help, as people across the region wait to be rescued from their roofs.
Hundreds have been rescued north of Cairns, with communities isolated from Cooktown to Innisfail and more than 14,000 people without power.
Authorities said the Wujal Wujal community would be evacuated to the 1000-capacity Cooktown events centre as soon as emergency services could reach them.
The Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council posted on social media late on Monday a rescue helicopter had been unable to reach the town because of wet weather.
Mr Scott believed one helicopter was available to transport the 300-strong population to Cooktown, only taking six at a time.
"Wujal Wujal have copped it very badly," he told AAP.
Widespread heavy rainfall occurred in parts of FNQ from 14-18th December 2023. Many areas from Tully to Cape Melville had 400-1000 mm with localised falls of 1200-1600 mm between Cairns & Cooktown. For maps of recent/past conditions: — Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) https://t.co/Iyz8GcsS2u pic.twitter.com/7YMPFPzV8yDecember 18, 2023
"Some of those poor people have been on the roof of their houses for two or three nights with no power, no communication, no food probably."
About 16 people - including a seven-year-old boy at Wujal Wujal hospital - were stuck before getting to higher ground on Monday.
But nine people remain on houses at nearby Degarra and Bloomfield.
Mr Scott said the Cook Shire had its own concerns but would welcome the Wujal Wujal community.
"We are ourselves low on food and supplies. We've still got enough tucker for another three days," he said.
"We've also got water restrictions at the moment because our water treatment plant was flooded.
"We are running around trying to get food, blankets, that sort of stuff. We will see what the state government can organise."
Mr Scott said it would be the first time in 10 years the Cooktown events centre housed so many people following a cyclone.
Premier Steven Miles said "heroes on the ground" had been rescuing people overnight. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
There have already been up to 300 rescues north of Cairns, with assistance from the HMAS Cairns naval base.
The ADF will also send four aircraft, about 150 personnel and equipment to the area.
"We have heroes on the ground who have been out all night," Queensland Premier Steven Miles said.
"We deployed literally every boat we could get our hands on."
Nikki Boyd is assisting the effort after being sworn in as the new fire and disaster recovery minister on Monday.
All major far north roads are closed, with some requiring months of repair work.
The region has been inundated with rain from a trough associated with Jasper which is lingering on the Cape York peninsula's west coast.
The State Emergency Service have been rescuing people caught in flood waters. (HANDOUT/QFES)
There are flood warnings for the Daintree, Mossman, Barron, Mulgrave, Russell, Murray, Herbert, Tully and Johnstone rivers.
Yandill near the Daintree has received 684mm since 9am on Sunday while Myola near Mossman recorded 638mm and the Cairns airport 307mm.
Cairns is cut off and the airport is closed with some planes underwater. Residents have been told to conserve water.
Rain is finally set to ease later on Monday as the weather system gradually moves north.
