Thousands of Sydney residents have been asked to evacuate on Monday after relentless rains resulted in floods for the third time this year in some low-lying suburbs.
About 30,000 residents in New South Wales state have been asked to either evacuate since Sunday. This is even as reports show that an intense low-pressure system off Australia’s east coast will bring heavy rain through Monday across New South Wales, after several places in the state were hit with about a month’s worth over the weekend.
After floods submerged homes, farms and bridges, Frustration swelled in several suburbs in the west of Australia’s largest city. Camden Mayor Theresa Fedeli described the situation as devastating, adding that he was in disbelief.
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“Most of them have just come out of the last flood, getting their homes back in place, their businesses back in place and unfortunately we are saying it is happening again,” he said.
According to reports, more than 200mm of rain have fallen over many areas, with some hit by as much as 350mm since Saturday. Some areas are expected to approach or exceed the flood levels seen in March 2021 and in March and April this year, the weather bureau warned.
Currently, operations are underway to rescue over 21 crew members from a cargo ship, which lost power south of Sydney and risked being swept ashore, local media reported.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said that It has been a very difficult time for many months to have this flood event off the back of others. A resident from flood-hit Wisemans Ferry, Paul O’Neill said he was taking food supplies by boat to his stranded family after rising waters cut off access.
“The road collapsed and hasn’t been fixed since the last floods, hasn’t been touched. So now they close our road access and then the ferry, the only way to get home now is by boat,” said O’Neill.
Story was adapted from Reuters.
