Tasha

History

Tropical Cyclone Tasha developed in the Coral Sea in late December 2010, with the Bureau of Meteorology first issuing an advisory for the developing tropical low on 24 December. The system reached its peak intensity that same day, with maximum winds of 75 km/h and a central pressure of 993 hPa, placing it at the lower end of the tropical cyclone scale. Tasha made landfall between Cairns and Innisfail on 24 December at peak intensity.

Although a relatively weak system, Tasha's most significant impact was through its rainfall. The cyclone interacted with a monsoonal trough during an exceptionally strong La Niña event, producing widespread torrential rainfall across Queensland, exceeding 250 mm in some locations. These conditions contributed directly to the catastrophic 2010–2011 Queensland floods, one of the most destructive natural disasters in Australian history. The flooding ultimately inundated more than three-quarters of Queensland, affected over 200,000 people across 41 local government areas, caused 33 deaths with a further three later declared deceased, and resulted in insured losses of approximately A$2.38 billion, with total economic costs estimated at A$14.1 billion. Towns including Rockhampton, Emerald, Theodore, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Ipswich, and Brisbane experienced severe inundation, prompting mass evacuations and a large-scale emergency response.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia