Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has flown into the outback flood disaster zone in Queensland state to assess the damage caused by heavy downpours in recent days. Swollen rivers have cut off towns and swept away thousands of livestock, with more than 16,000 missing or dead, according to state authorities. Hundreds of kilometres of fencing have also been ruined.
The floods have affected a farming region home to some of the country's largest cattle ranches, with outback Queensland being one of the nation's biggest cattle fattening grounds. Researchers have warned that climate change amplifies the risk of natural disasters such as floods, and this is not the first time the region has been hit by severe flooding - over 100,000 cattle, sheep, goats, and horses died in floods that swept the area in March and April last year.
Queensland authorities have been working to provide aid to the affected areas, using helicopters to drop bales of fodder near surviving herds. The situation remains dire, with some towns entirely cut off by floodwaters and rescue services working to reach stranded residents.