Convoy Responds to Cyclone Jasper

December 18, 2023 | 8:00 p.m.

Convoy of Hope is responding to ex-Cyclone Jasper in far North Queensland.

More than 300 people have been saved from floodwaters. Dozens of residents were found clinging to rooftops as officials scrambled to assist. The situation is dire as Cairns Airport is shut down due to flooding, raising concerns about the city's water supply for its 160,000 residents.

Although the rain is beginning to ease in Cairns, severe weather warnings remain in effect for neighbouring areas such as Port Douglas, Daintree, Cooktown, Wujal Wujal, and Hope Vale, with more rain predicted. Particularly concerning was the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, where nine adults and a 7-year-old child were stranded for hours on a hospital roof. Thankfully, plans were in motion to evacuate all 300 residents by helicopter.

Just days prior, Wujal Wujal had narrowly escaped the path of a Category 2 tropical cyclone. While the community had been spared significant damage from the strong winds, heavy rains continued to batter the region and exacerbate the already challenging situation. As a result, roads and railway lines were severed, communities isolated, and a staggering 14,000 homes and businesses were left without power on Monday.

Convoy of Hope is working with partners on the ground to help provide relief to residents of far north Queensland.