Major floods hammer northern Australia

Two people were missing and the body of a third person was recovered from raging floodwaters as severe storms pounded northeastern Australia on Sunday, forcing more than 1,000 to flee their homes.

Army aircraft were deployed in the northern state of Queensland, where storms generated by former tropical cyclone Oswald unleashed punishing rains and localized tornadoes and floodwaters threatened several major towns.

One woman was plucked to safety in Biloela, 600 kilometers northwest of the state capital Brisbane, after spending eight hours clinging to a tree.