Australia floods: Thousands evacuated in Queensland and Cairns Airport under water as Cyclone Jasper hits

Extremely heavy rainfall in Queensland, Australia has seen thousands of residents evacuated and a local airport submerged under water as experts predict that the flash flooding could be the worst the region has ever seen.

As the powerful Tropical Cyclone Jasper ripped through the north-eastern Australian state, aeroplanes at Cairns Airport, located in the north of Queensland, were seen submerged underneath flood water. Popular tourist locations along the north-eastern coast of the country including the Great Barrier Reef were heavily impacted by the extreme weather.

The cyclone brought a month's worth of rain over the weekend, with thousands of residents in the worst-hit areas forced to flee their homes. Officials have warned that the flash flooding caused by Jasper may be the worst ever seen in the state.

Queensland premier Steven Miles told ABC Television: "The problem is the rain won't stop and until it eases up, we can't get aerial support into remote places. We see a lot of natural disasters and this is just about the worst I can remember."

Crocodiles have also been seen in the flood waters, in mostly rural areas with rivers and lagoons. Further rainfall is expected to continue into Tuesday December 19.

The Queensland city of Cairns was hit by two metres of rainfall over the weekend. Some residents located 110 miles from the city in the remote town of Wujal Wujal were forced to seek refuge on a roof to avoid the rising waters below, with emergency services unable to reach them.

While the group were eventually located and moved to allow for rescue, the entire town will now have to be evacuated. Miles added: "I have been talking to Cairns locals on the ground... and they say they have never seen anything like it.

"For someone from far north Queensland to say that, that is really saying something. We have concerns about drinking water [in Wujal Wujal], about sewerage, power and telecommunications, the roads - many of the roads are blocked and we can't get aerial support in."