Rockhampton then and now: Incredible photos show locals battling through 10 METRE high floods after a cyclone that killed eight 99 years ago

The 1918 floods in Rockhampton, Queensland, saw the Fitzroy River hit 10.11m, the highest it has ever been to this day.

Vast swathes of Rockhampton are underwater, with lives at risk after the Fitzroy River burst its banks in the wake of a cyclone.

While this may sound like the current situation in the flood-hit Queensland city, it also describes what residents of Rockhampton faced 99 years ago – when they faced the worst floods in the city’s recorded history.

For five days from January 20, 1918, Rockhampton was pounded by cyclonic winds – just as it has by Cyclone Debbie now.

The biblical weather came after heavy downpours which led the river to break its banks and spill over into the bustling market town.

Despite efforts lay down sandbags, parts of the town were turned into islands as the water covered lower-lying areas, according to the Queensland Historical Atlas.

Source: Photos show Rockhampton floods in 1918 | Daily Mail Online