Koji

History

Tropical Cyclone Koji developed from a tropical low that formed along a monsoon trough in the northern Coral Sea in early January 2026, becoming the seventh named storm of the 2025–26 Australian region cyclone season. The Bureau of Meteorology designated the system as Tropical Low 12U on 7 January before it intensified into a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian scale on 10 January, receiving the name Koji. The system weakened rapidly, falling to Category 1 and then back to tropical low strength within fifteen hours of being named. On 11 January, the remnant low crossed the Queensland coast between Ayr and Bowen before dissipating inland on 14 January.

Although Koji had weakened below cyclone intensity before landfall, its moisture produced extreme rainfall, with over 700 millimetres recorded in Mackay over 48 hours and significant totals across the Pioneer River catchment. Approximately 23,000 customers lost power, and floodwaters isolated the town of Clermont, inundating 71 homes. More than 50,000 cattle were lost, and infrastructure damage was widespread, including over 13 kilometres of railway track, thousands of kilometres of fencing, and numerous roads. Multiple water rescues were conducted across the region. No fatalities were recorded. Total damage reached AU$53.5 million, and the Australian federal government subsequently announced AU$26 million in disaster recovery funding for affected communities.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia