Cyclone Oswald
Tropical Cyclone Oswald in 2013 was a tropical cyclone that passed over parts of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia over a number of days, causing widespread impact including severe storms, flooding, and water spouts. Coastal regions of Queensland were the most impacted with Mundubbera, Eidsvold, Gayndah and Bundaberg in the Wide Bay–Burnett hit severely. In many places the rainfall total for January set new records. Across the affected region, damage from severe weather and flooding amounted to at least A$2.4 billion.
| Category 1 tropical cyclone (Aus scale) | |
|---|---|
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Oswald on 21 January as it made landfall in Queensland | |
| Formed | 17 January 2013 |
| Dissipated | 28 January 2013 |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 65 km/h (40 mph) 1-minute sustained: 85 km/h (50 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 991 hPa (mbar); 29.26 inHg |
| Fatalities | 6 total, 1 missing |
| Damage | $2.52 billion (2013 USD) (Third-costliest tropical cyclone in the Australian region) |
| Areas affected | Queensland, New South Wales |
| Part of the 2012–13 Australian region cyclone season | |
7,500 residents of Bundaberg and patients at the Bundaberg Hospital were evacuated. Houses were completely washed away and parts of Bundaberg's sewage network were destroyed. Cuts to transport links including damage to numerous bridges, communication interruptions, electrical blackouts and water supply problems were experienced across wide areas. Several swiftwater rescues had to be undertaken.