AUSTRALIA: The torrential rains that soaked New South Wales in Australia started to stop on Sunday, but many areas still have flood warnings.
Flooding was triggered by severe rains during the previous 24 hours, according to a New South Wales state emergency agency statement. Overnight, emergency personnel handled 343 aid requests and 21 flood-related rescues.
There were flood warnings on the outskirts of Sydney and in around 80 other towns or locations throughout the state, and as the storm began to move offshore, there were worries about severe winds in coastal areas.
According to the emergency services, Sydney is among many coastal cities where flash flooding is a severe worry due to the already saturated terrain.
Additionally, it stated that numerous villages in Western New South Wales were impacted, and emergency services and the Department of Primary Industries attempted to determine how the situation would affect farmers more broadly.
Australia’s east is experiencing an unusual third consecutive year of the La Nina weather phenomenon, which is characterised by more rainfall. With almost three months left in 2022, Sydney on Thursday recorded its wettest year since records began in 1858.
Authorities advised drivers to avoid wet roads during the final weekend of the school spring vacation since dams and rivers are practically full.
Australia’s east coast has been repeatedly hit by devastating floods this year. Rising seas in March drove tens of thousands from their homes, and at least 13 people died as a result.
Evacuation order
As the state is being pummelling by torrential rain, the SES has issued four evacuation orders across New South Wales as rising floodwaters threaten to cut off residences in parts of Sydney’s northwest, Central West, and Riverina.
The premier of NSW, Dominic Perrottet, has cautioned locals to pay attention to flood warnings, exercise caution, and keep vigilance.
“Rivers and dams in our country are both full at the moment. We thus urge everyone to continue exercising caution, especially if flood warnings are in effect, as there is predicted to be significant rain,” he said.
“Please continue to follow instructions, be prepared and be ready if an evacuation is needed,” he added.
While the violent storms and torrential rain are predicted to subside on Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning that another rainband will strike the east coast of New South Wales on Wednesday.
Concerning the issue, Steph Cooke MP, NSW’s Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience, posted a tweet, “658 calls for help and 27 flood rescues. It’s been a very busy 24 hours for @NSWSES crews. The rainfall will subside today, but the flood risk won’t. Please stay safe by heeding the 80 current flood alerts at: http://ses.nsw.gov.au.”
Also Read: Hundreds Evacuate as Torrential Rains Cause Floods in New Zealand
