Australians assess flood damages from cyclone as rescue efforts ramp up

Residents in Australia’s northeast on Tuesday took stock of flood damages from former Tropical Cyclone Jasper and authorities accelerated efforts to
rescue people stranded in remote towns as rivers stayed above dangerous levels.
Jasper made landfall last week as a category 2 storm, three rungs below the most dangerous wind speed level, in the far north of Queensland state, home to several resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.
It was soon downgraded to a tropical low but the system moved slowly, dumping months worth of rain over four days, cutting off entire towns, and inundating homes, roads and farms.
Conditions have since eased with military personnel joining the state’s emergency crews on evacuations and relief efforts. Search continued for an 85-year-old man missing in flood waters.