Flooding in the state of Queensland, Australia, that began in late December has killed at least 22 people, left thousands homeless, destroyed countless buildings and devastated highways and rail lines. Overall, the flooding has affected 70% of Queensland, an area the size of France and Germany combined.
As of early February, residents were bracing for more coastal flooding, which was expected to accompany Cyclone Yasi, a Category 4 tropical storm that was forecast to hit the northern coast on Feb. 3.