Sana Dunn’s parents held on to a tree for 12+ hours, waiting for SES to arrive in Bloomfield

The daughter of a couple who hung to a tree for more than 12 hours fearing death as floods lashed their remote town in the Cape is hoping for a “Christmas miracle” to rebuild their battered community.

Houses in Bloomfield, between Shire of Cook and Douglas, submerged in water during the Cairns Floods post Cyclone Jasper. Picture: Supplied

The daughter of a couple who hung to a tree for more than 12 hours in fear for their lives as floods lashed their remote town in the Cape is hoping for a “Christmas miracle” to rebuild their battered community.

Sana Dunn, a travelling nurse currently in South Australia, said her home town of Bloomfield between the Shire of Cook and Douglas had faced floods in the past - as recently as six years ago - where water had reached knee length but what unravelled on Sunday was nothing like they had ever experienced before.

On Dec 17 at 9pm she received a distressed phone call from her mother stating they were in the roof of their house, and the flooding waters were rapidly rising.

“The last phone call I had with mum late Sunday evening was for 30 seconds where she said her phone was about to die, water was over the roof and they had already called SES,” Ms Dunn said.

“They had climbed out the window and did not expect water to go 2 to 3m high. By midnight that had happened.”

Ms Dunn, who has a brother in Cairns and one in Bloomfield, said she had no idea if they would make it out alive.

The Dunn's house in Bloomfield, between Shire of Cook and Douglas, submerged in water. Picture: Supplied

“The water conditions were next level, and throughout the night police and SES said our hands are tied, we can’t go into the waters because the floodwaters were too strong and it is too dangerous,” she said.

“Next thing, I burst into tears when I found out my brother Alec had gone out in his little dinghy by himself looking for them.”

Raging anxiety took over her, she said, as she waited for an update on her parents, which finally came in an hour and half later.

“I heard they had been picked up clinging on to a tree,” she said.

“By 10pm they had climbed onto the roof, and waters had swept them off and into a tree, where they hung on for their lives for more that 12 hours hoping and praying that the emergency crews would come to rescue them.”

Alec Dunn has since been hailed a community hero for rescuing not just his own parents but several others stranded in the region.

“The whole of Monday, there was no SES, he was the only one getting people, looking for as many people as he can,” she said.

The damage to their childhood home, which was built by her father and a few of his mates 40 years ago, had been “absolutely devastating”, Ms Dunn said.

The tree in which Sana and Alec Dunn's parents were found where they waited more than 12 hours to be rescued as floodwaters raged through Bloomfield. Picture: Supplied

Clinic in Wujal Wujal devastated by floods. Picture: Supplied

“At least five other families we know have had the same impact, their property being wiped away,” she said.

“We are not sure we can even save the house, all belongings have gone.”

Residents of Bloomfield had to evacuate, leaving behind memorabilia, sentimental items and all possessions as they fought for their lives to get to higher ground.

Ms Dunn hopes to make it to home by January 3, to give bear hugs to her parents who were extremely shaken up this experience and also to help rebuild the community.

Her brother was actively co-ordinating relief efforts on ground and said the stress was palpable, as supplies were running out.

“It is day three and everyone is exhausted, he’s afraid how they’ll all be on day ten,” she said.

With the whole community of Wujal Wujal evacuated and the massive loss of livelihood in the area, Ms Dunn hoped to raise funds via GoFundMe for the community to divvy up for themselves in whichever way they required.

Originally published as Sana Dunn’s parents held on to a tree for 12+ hours, waiting for SES to arrive in Bloomfield