Record-breaking floods in Australia decimated sugar cane crops, putting strain on farmers to pay for expensive repairs with significantly less income. 

What's happening?

In northern Queensland along the eastern coast, small towns and farmlands were flooded with devastating rain earlier this year. Months later, the area still hasn't recovered, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. 

Most farmers have struggled with expensive short-term issues such as the destruction of their fields, cleaning up debris, and water damage to their properties. 

The affected crops also won't bounce back to full strength for some time, and production in the region will be below average for several years.

"I personally have about, I'd say, 2,000 tons I've lost," sugar cane farmer Ian Kemp said, per ABC News. "It's going to take me about three to four years to recover ... to pick those paddocks up and get them back to full production again."

Another farmer estimated that they will produce only 80,000 tons of sugar cane this year instead of their typical 120,000 tons, which could be a difference in income of about 450,000 Australian dollars.

Why is it concerning?

Severe weather events like this devastating flood are becoming all too common because of the overheating of the planet and changing climate.

More intense floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes are happening around the world, disrupting ecosystems and burdening those who live in the affected areas. Costly damages, power outages, and even displacement can be overwhelming to deal with in the wake of these disasters. 

When farmers are impacted, the ripple effects can reach everyone. Ruined crops and abnormal harvest seasons lead to lost income and less food for everyone to eat, which means more expensive groceries and an unstable food supply. 

What's being done about it? 

The local government is providing flood relief funds to help the farmers recover, but it's not working for everyone, according to ABC News. 

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Farmers shared that they have to pay for repairs themselves and then make claims to be paid back. With unprecedented damages, the cost to fix everything is so high that many can't afford the upfront investment. 

"We're already out of pocket, and after such big floods, it's just another hit to the small business owners," farmer Brian Mombelli said.

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