Thousands of residents of Sydney, Australia’s largest, were ordered to leave the city’s southwest on Sunday. The heavy rain, which the Met Office says could last for two more days, threatens flooding and landslides along the east coast of New South Wales.
“We now face risks on multiple fronts – flash floods, river flooding and coastal erosion,” New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Steve Cook told a televised news conference. “This is a life-threatening emergency,” Cook said.
More than 200 millimeters of rain fell in many areas, with a peak of 350 millimeters, according to the weather services. Heavy rainfall caused Sydney’s main dam to leak. The authorities fear that the situation will deteriorate and the dam will overflow, just like the Waragamba Dam at the beginning of last year. A nearby place had to be evacuated.
“There is nowhere for the water to stay in the dams. They start to flood. The rivers are flowing very fast and they are very dangerous. So we have a risk of flash floods depending on where it rains,” the regionalism said. authorities.
On Saturday, 29 people were rescued from flooded areas, including one who was suspended from a pole for an hour while aid workers struggled to reach the victims.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement that the Australian government has provided the state with 100 military personnel to assist with sandbags and two helicopters. Sky News†
