There was no destructive cyclone, yet a set of unfavourable ingredients caused a fairly common weather system to wreak havoc in northern Queensland this week. So what happened to make it so severe? And should we be more heightened to the risks of tropical lows?

Flooding in Australia has inflicted "incredible" devastation on communities across northern Queensland, the state's premier has said, even though conditions are easing faster than predicted. Thousands of residents who evacuated from their homes are set to return on Tuesday but it is feared hundreds of homes and businesses have been inundated.

Flood waters are rising in the Australian state of Queensland after heavy rainfall. The area between Townsville and Cairns in the north-east is particularly badly affected - a region that is also very popular with tourists.

Almost 1.5 metres of rain fell on the town of Cardwell in the first five days of February, causing flooding to 70 homes.

Liberal National MP for Herbert Phillip Thompson has praised the resilience of the Queensland community while severe wet weather conditions ravage the northeastern state.