Brace for impact: North Queensland hunkers down as Cyclone Koji prepares to make landfall within hours
Cyclone Koji is expected to bring destructive wind gusts of up to 130kh along the coast between Townsville and Proserpine.
- Cyclone to smash North Queensland within hours
- READ MORE: Queensland meteorologists clash as cyclone approaches
By ZAK WHEELER, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA
Published: 15:28 GMT, 10 January 2026 | Updated: 22:37 GMT, 10 January 2026
Thousands of Aussies in North Queensland have battened down the hatches as Cyclone Koji makes landfall this morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded the Coral Sea tropical system to a category two cyclone on Saturday, which is expected to cross between Ayr and Mackay as a category one system at 8am on Sunday.
Cyclone Koji is expected to bring destructive wind gusts of up to 120km/h, with heavy rain bringing flash flooding from Ingham to Proserpine, and life-threatening flash flooding between Townsville and Proserpine.
Major flood warnings are in place the Herbert River, Haughton River Catchment, Pioneer River, Georgina River and the Flinders and Cloncurry Rivers.
Forecaster Angus Hines warned between 100mm and 200mm could fall in the region.
The warning zone from Innisfail to Mackay also includes Palm Island, Bowen, and the Whitsundays.
Multiple 'take shelter now' emergency alerts were issued between Townsville and Airlie Beach, where locals spent Saturday sandbagging and securing their homes.
Townsville Airport will remain closed until the system passes, with multiple Hamilton Island flights also cancelled.
Townsville is in the firing zone of Cyclone Koji, which is expected to make landfall on Sunday
Cyclone Koji is expected to make landfall on Sunday morning
Cyclone Koji strengthened to a Category 2 storm and was forecast to cross the Queensland coast at about 4am
Heavy rain is expected to intensify on Sunday morning, which could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.
A separate severe weather warning remains in place for heavy to locally intense rain and damaging winds along parts of the north-east and central Queensland coast.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged people not to drive through flooded roads.
'If it’s flooded, forget it,' he said.
'Do not risk it. If there is water on the road and you can’t see the bitumen, then you don’t know what is below the water.
'And too many lives have been risked in people thinking that they can just drive through.'