The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, has said that worse news might come within the next 24 hours due to Heavy Rain, so everyone should be prepared.
Two people have lost their lives after sudden floods hit the southeast part of Australia. The rising waters have cut off roads and trapped many towns, leaving thousands of people with no way out. Authorities have said that more Heavy Rain could fall in the next day.
Water levels have risen quickly, causing problems in parts of New South Wales, where towns in the Hunter and Mid North Coast areas are badly affected. Many places there are still expecting more strong rain until at least Thursday, adding to the worries of local people.
Near Taree, over 300 kilometers north of Sydney, police discovered the body of a 63-year-old man inside a home filled with floodwater. Elsewhere on the Mid North Coast, another body was pulled from the flood, believed to be a missing man in his thirties.
Chris Minns, the leader of New South Wales, said during a news talk that more upsetting news might come within the next 24 hours. He added that this disaster has caused a lot of pain for the people living in the area.
Authorities have issued flood warnings for 140 areas. They are urging around 50,000 people to prepare to leave their homes in case Heavy Rain cuts them off. Nearly 9,500 homes lie within the flood zone. This shows the threat is still very real and far from over.
In separate situations, authorities have reported that three individuals are missing. Among them are two men and one woman. The search for them is ongoing.
Due to ongoing issues, authorities closed over 100 schools on Thursday. At the same time, many homes and buildings still had no electricity, which made life difficult for residents.
Heavy Rain has also affected road access.Floodwaters have completely isolated Cundletown, a town on the Mid North Coast, according to Nicole Sammut. She is a nurse looking after 67 elderly people at a care home that is now also serving as a shelter for emergency workers.
Sammut told Reuters she arrived at her job on Tuesday and has stayed there ever since. Even though their building stands on higher ground, rising water has surrounded it from behind and cut them off. She said she has never seen the water reach this level before.
Emergency teams said that near Taree, the Manning River has reached its highest flood level in over a hundred years.
Early Wednesday morning, Sherinah Peck had to leave her farmhouse near the river. Floodwaters swept away many of her belongings, and some furniture later washed up on the nearby shore. The community is now helping to support those affected by the floods.
Heavy rain continues to bring hardship.Thursday found Peck at Old Bar beach, combing through debris and stray animals in search of a bicycle that once belonged to her late mother. During this, a cow accidentally knocked her down, causing her injury. Despite the challenges, Peck remains determined to recover what she can.
As the wave approached, the cow became frightened. She told Reuters that she quickly scrambled up the sandy slope to get away safely. The sudden rush was frightening for both of them. Heavy rain will increase soon.
Rainfall Will Increase Soon
Over the past two days, a slow coastal weather pattern brought rain equal to what usually falls in four months. Floodwaters have surrounded whole towns, trapping people on their rooftops and upper levels. Rescue teams are struggling to reach them, relying on boats and air support to carry out their work.
Acknowledging the delays, Minns apologized to everyone who waited hours for rescue help. He said the situation is improving, as the government has deployed 2,500 emergency workers to speed up rescue efforts. The teams are focusing on delivering aid to everyone who needs it as quickly as possible.
NSW Police reported that helicopters have rescued 22 people so far. They lifted 18 people from flooded homes and roads, and rescued another four from a bridge. The helicopter crews are also helping boat teams find people who still need help.
Heavy rain is on the way, with some parts of Australia expected to get as much as 200 millimetres, that’s around 8 inches, by Friday. This kind of rainfall could lead to fast and dangerous flooding in low-lying areas. The weather system bringing the rain is likely to weaken as it moves south, heading toward Sydney in the coming days.
