Vile callout for youths to help LOOT the homes of Townsville's devastated flood victims – as two thieves who drowned after 'robbing a Dan Murphy's store' are trolled online
- Delinquents have advertised their plans to loot flood affected areas on Facebook
- Townsville, north Queensland, was covered by water following rainfall last week
- One man advertised on social media for friends to join him in looting businesses
- Two men were killed as they ran from police after allegedly looting Dan Murphy's
- Online trolls shown little sympathy for the men, saying their deaths were 'karma'
- Forecasters have warned there may be more rain to come in the following week
Youths in flood-ravaged north Queensland have boasted on social media about looting homes left abandoned by owners as the water levels rose.
As water flooded the city of Townsville and surrounding areas over the weekend, residents were forced to leave flee their homes for higher ground.
While volunteers and the army have banded with locals in the wake of the floods that have devastated the area, others have showcased the dark side of a natural disaster.
In one post to social media a young man advertised for friends to join him in robbing abandoned homes or businesses.
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'If you're up for looting me and some boys are in,' one man wrote on Facebook after homes and businesses were left abandoned following severe flooding in Townsville, far north Queensland
The same man defended his behaviour saying he would 'rather sleep in a cell than out in the rain'
Thousands of homes in the of Townsville (pictured) were left abandoned over the weekend after the gates of the Ross River Dam were opened, sending water down into the nearby city
'To whoever is stuck on the river have a safe night and if you're up for looting me and some boys are in,' the man wrote.
After being criticised by others on Facebook the man then defended his actions.
'Some of us (have) got nothing... no food... no money... I'd rather sleep in a cell than out in the rain,' the man wrote.
It comes as social media users have trolled two men who were swept to their deaths as they ran from police after allegedly looting a Dan Murphy's store.
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Hughie Morton, 21, and Troy Mathieson, 23, were reportedly seen looting the popular bottle shop about 3am on Sunday - when the floodwaters were at their worst.
The bodies of the two men - who were both from Palm Island, an offshore area with a permanent alcohol restriction - were found in a storm water drain on Tuesday.
But despite their deaths there was little sympathy online for the two men, with some calling their demise 'karma'.
'Well the two looters in Townsville got their just desserts. Karma is a wonderful thing,' one person posted.
Hughie Morton (left), 21, and Troy Mathieson (right), 23, were last seen near floodwaters on Monday morning, sparking fears they've been washed away
One of the two bodies (pictured) was found in an open drain in Townsville on February 5
Despite their deaths there was little sympathy online for the two men, with some calling their demise 'karma'
'Two bright young looters who had a whole life of crime ahead of them,' another man commented.
Police are currently investigating the circumstances around Morton and Mathieson's deaths and the conduct of the officers who pursued them.
Thousands of residents were able to return to their homes on Tuesday to assess the damage and begin the massive clean up now ahead of them.
Townsville was overrun with scenes of total chaos this week, with many homes, car parks and shopping centres almost totally submerged.
The city was turned into a floodplain on Sunday night when the Ross River Dam spillway gates automatically opened to ease pressure.
This sent 2,000 cubic metres of water per second rocketing through already flooded suburbs as desperate residents scrambled for higher ground.
Close to 400 people were rescued by the army with trucks and helicopters, and put up in evacuation centres until they could return to their homes.
Andrew Hodgson cleans mud off his flood affected driveway in the suburb of Hermit Park in Townsville
Dave Mitchell helps clean his brother's flood affected motel in Townsville on Tuesday
Furniture and homewares were piled up outside Townsville homes on Tuesday as residents returned to clean up the deluge left behind
Steve Knight was scraping thick grey silt from his driveway as his wife Rachel picked through what was left of their home.
They had fled about 4am on Saturday when they lost power and returned on Tuesday for the first time.
'It's just devastating, we've been here 14 years and it's never flooded before. Even in Cyclone Yasi we stayed dry, but not this time,' Mr Knight said.
'For us to flood here shows you how devastating it really was.
'It's all material stuff, we can replace things, but to get in and open the door and see everything gone - it was just devastating.'
Townsville resident David Mitchell had his entire home to clear on Tuesday following the devastating floods
Heartbreaking images took over the city on Tuesday as families returned to view the damage and begin clearing what was left
Mr Mitchell sweeps out his muddy garage after flood waters receded in the suburb of Rosslea on
Ms Knight said the hardest part had been not knowing and waiting to see the damage.
She had no idea where they will live while their home is repaired.
'I don't know what we are going to do - it will be six months before we can move back, at the earliest.'
Outside, Mr Knight discovered two of his children's medals buried in the silt.
He tossed them onto the pile of rubbish on the sodden front lawn to be taken to the dump - along with most of their possessions.
Days of severe rainfall combined with unprecedented water released from the city's swollen dam, sent torrents of water down the Ross River and into, swamping roads, yards and homes.
Townsville man Damien Kent was forced to smash his way into a neighbour's house with a hammer to seek refuge from raging floodwater for two families, six dogs and five cats.
Days of severe rainfall combined with unprecedented water released from the city's swollen dam, sent torrents of water down the Ross River and into, swamping roads, yards and homes
Bettina Murphy cleans mud after her house was flooded in the suburb of Hermit Park in Townsville
The city was turned into a floodplain on Sunday night when the Ross River Dam spillway gates automatically opened to ease pressure
Residents armed with mops and brooms took on the challenge of clearing their homes of the muddied waters that threatened to destroy their homes
Forecasters have warned there may be more to come with the monsoon trough will remain active for days — and with it the risk of more flash flooding
Corbin Dale cleans the driveway of a friend's house in the suburb of Hermit Park in Townsville
Mr Kent had ignored advice to seek shelter from the monsoon and had expected to ride out the storm in his Hermit Park home.
However, as surging water rushed at knee-level over the weekend he knew he needed to act.
He first tried SES but it was too late to be rescued. He turned to his neighbour who had an empty two-storey home.
He was granted permission to seek refuge in the property, along with another nearby family.
'I wasn't panicking, I had to keep my calm - it must be the mullet.
'I carried the youngest kids on my back, they were pretty scared.
'We also carried six dogs and the five cats - we did a fair few trips but we are all ok.'
Heartbreaking scenes filled the streets as residents returned to assess the damaged caused by the monsoon
Townsville residents woke on this week to scenes of total chaos, with thousands of homes, car parks and shopping centres almost totally submerged
Forecasters warned there may be more to come with the monsoon trough will remain active for days — and with it the risk of more flash flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicted a 95 per cent chance of rain every day until at least Thursday, while there was a 90 per cent chance of rain on Friday.
'There is an end in sight but we're expecting further periods of heavy rainfall, some of it very heavy, about the north-east tropics for the next few days between about Cardwell and Mackay,' meteorologist Richard Wardle told ABC.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a 95 per cent chance of rain every day until at least Thursday, while there's a 90 per cent chance of rain on Friday
'There is an end in sight but we're expecting further periods of heavy rainfall, some of it very heavy, about the north-east tropics for the next few days between about Cardwell and Mackay,' meteorologist Richard Wardle says
Drone footage captured the devastation left in Townsville following the horrendous floods that submerged the city
