Dozens of towns isolated by flooding in Australia’s New South Wales
PTI, Mar 22, 2021, 11:03 AM IST
Canberra: Hundreds of people have been rescued from floodwaters that have isolated dozens of towns in Australia’s most populous State New South Wales and forced thousands to evacuate their homes as record rain continues to inundate the country’s east coast.
Around 18,000 people had been evacuated from flooding in New South Wales by Monday and emergency services feared up to 54,000 people could be displaced with rain forecast to continue until Wednesday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Parliament that 35 communities in northern New South Wales had been isolated and emergency services had conducted more than 700 flood rescues.
“We are grateful at this point that no lives have been lost so far,” Morrison said. “But weakened foundations for buildings, for roads and trees, they all create risk, as do downed power lines and rising water levels.”
A year ago, vast swathes of New South Wales had been charred by unprecedented wildfires following years of drought that gripped most of the State.
Some of the same areas were now being inundated by one-in-50-year and one-in-100-year rain events.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said up to 38 parts of the State had been declared natural disaster areas.
”I don’t know any time in our state’s history where we have had these extreme weather conditions in such quick succession in the middle of a pandemic,” Berejiklian told reporters. “So, they are challenging times for New South Wales.”
Thousands of people have been affected with 40 flood warnings and 20 evacuation orders along the State’s Mid North Coast, and in western Sydney. Houses had been submerged and destroyed while several communities had lost power.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Pope denies resignation rumors, hopes to visit Kyiv, Moscow
Sri Lanka’s opposition JVP asks govt to share details on alleged bomb threat
At least 19 killed as bus falls into ravine in southwest Pakistan
Musk meets Pope, uses Twitter to announce the audience
Ship sinks in storm off Hong Kong, dozens of crew in danger
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
PM Modi to visit Varanasi on July 7; to inaugurate, lay foundation stone of development projects
Hotels, restaurants barred from levying service charge
Civic workers protest: Govt issues assurance letter, protests end
IAS officer J Manjunath arrested on charges of corruption
16 people get life imprisonment in Barakali killing