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Saturday, March 20, 2021, 15:02
Heavy rain, flash flooding batter Australia's east coast
By Reuters
Saturday, March 20, 2021, 15:02 By Reuters

People stand at a washed-out section of road at Port Stephens 200 kilometers north of Sydney, Australia, March 20, 2021. (MARK BAKER/AP)

MELBOURNE - Australia’s east coast was smashed by heavy rains on Saturday, sparking dangerous flash flooding that forced the evacuation of multiple regions as the fast-moving waters unmoored houses, engulfed roads, stranded towns and cut power lines.

In Sydney, the country’s biggest city, authorities pleaded for people to stay at home as a major dam overflowed and a mini-tornado tore through a western suburb.

In Sydney, the country’s biggest city, authorities pleaded for people to stay at home as a major dam overflowed and a mini-tornado tore through a western suburb

Most of the coast of New South Wales (NSW) state, which is home to about a third of Australia’s 25 million people, has already seen March rainfall records broken and authorities warned the downpour was likely to continue for several days.

READ MORE: Australia firefighters focus on floods after rain lessens blazes

“I hate to say this again to all our citizens of the state, but it’s not going to be an easy week for us,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told a televised briefing. “The rain may not stop till Thursday or Friday.”

Officials had issued nine evacuation orders for about 15 areas by Saturday afternoon.

Television footage showed increasing damage across the state, with water engulfing houses up to the windows, people kayaking through the streets, and damaged roads. One video showed an entire house being swept away. Local media reported that the house owners had managed to evacuate.

Warragamba Dam, a major water supply for Sydney, began overflowing on Saturday afternoon. Officials warned that the overflow would quickly add to swollen rivers, leading to flash flooding.

Social and sporting events were called off across New South Wales, including football games and one of the Australian turf’s marquee horse races, the A$3.5 million (US$2.7 million) Golden Slipper

A mini-tornado ripped through a suburb in the west of the city, causing damage to more than 30 homes, knocking down trees and cutting power, emergency services said.

People were urged to avoid any non-essential trips, with officials lambasting those who had needed help after venturing out into the stormy weather.

ALSO READ: Floods as storms lash some bushfire-hit regions in Australia

Emergency crews responded to about 4,000 calls for help over the past two days, including 500 direct flood rescues, a level NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said was “just completely unacceptable.”

“The message is clear: do not walk through or drive through floodwaters, do not drive over water that is covering a road,” Elliott said.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast rainfall totals in the Greater Sydney region this weekend of around 100 millimeters and up to 300 millimeters in the Blue Mountains region about 100 kilometers inland.

The agency also predicted damaging winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour with gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour.

Social and sporting events were called off across the state, including football games and one of Australian turf’s marquee horse races, the A$3.5 million (US$2.7 million) Golden Slipper.

Almost 30 children in the rural town of Kendall spent Friday night in their primary school library together with more than a dozen of staff after flooding trapped them inside and prevented parents from collecting them.

“Lots of hungry little bellies this morning as everyone woke up after a settled quiet night,” a note on the school’s Facebook page said. “All safe and sound here at school.”


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