Heartbreaking photos of dead cattle illuminates flood agony

A distressed farmer has highlighted the devastating effects of the floods on Aussies by sharing a heartbreaking photo of her cattle.

Over the past couple of weeks, hundreds if not thousands of residents have been forced out of their homes while rain continued to pelt down, delivering a one in 100 year event.

Posting the haunting images to Facebook on Thursday, Rae Stretton, from Mount Isa in Queensland’s northwest, wrote: “This is the cold hard truth of what my family at Eddington Station — 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld — and a heap of other families in North West Queensland are dealing with right now.

“From drought to floods to losing stock on a massive scale… the stock that haven’t died from flood water and cold weather have had to be humanely put down.”

She added: “Where is the help from the Government now. Hurry Government and give the Defence Force the go ahead to help these people out – they’re the best in the world for these scenarios.”

The distressing images show dead and dying cattle swept away in rising floodwaters.

Read more: Two people missing as floods and heavy rain continue to ravage Townsville

The post had been shared over 20,000 times at time of publication with many heartfelt comments from fellow Aussies offering support.

“This is just heart breaking. Now is the time the government steps up, inject some people, money and hope to these long suffering Australians,” one commentator wrote.

Another added: “OMG, this is devastating. It has actually brought tears to the eyes.”

On Wednesday, residents began to return home to the flood damaged homes to begin a massive clean-up as rain finally eased. After around two weeks of torrential rain businesses and schools have reopened in areas lucky enough to avoid the majority of the downpour.

However, the battle is not over yet, with hundreds of people still left in evacuation centres as they wait patiently for the flood waters to lower.

The Bureau of Meteorology updated residents on the situation in the north of Queensland on Wednesday, claiming there are possibilities levels could rise once again.

“We are currently seeing the river waters are easing, at Aplins Weir in Townsville they are currently at moderate and are falling,” Hydrologist Claire Mills said.

Are you or anyone you know a farmer struggling with the recent floods?