SYDNEY aEUR: Thousands of Sydney residents were ordered to evacuate their homes after heavy rains caused floodwaters and rivers to rise in what authorities called life-threatening emergencies.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warnings for heavy rain, flash floods, and winds of up 90 kilometers (55 mi) an hour along Australia’s coast and in other parts of New South Wales.
According to authorities, Warragamba Dam in west Sydney overflowed overnight. The peak spillage would be similar to the devastating flooding of March last year.
Residents of a variety of suburbs were ordered to evacuate. However, Steph Cooke, Emergency Services Minister, stated that people don’t have to wait for an order to leave.
She said, “If you feel uncomfortable or unsure about your situation, and there’s an opportunity for you leave earlier than the evacuation order, don’t wait.” “If you are safe in 2021, don’t assume that you will be safe tonight. We could see new areas that have been impacted by this rapidly changing situation.
According to emergency services, they responded to more than 3,000 requests for help and conducted over 100 flood rescues in the last 24 hours. Many evacuation centers have been opened in Western Sydney.
Around 100 personnel from the Australian Defence Force were assisting by setting up sandbags, knocking on doors and warning of flooding.
Jane Golding, the weather bureau’s hazards response and preparation manager, said that a coastal trough has been lingering since Friday. A low-pressure system off the Mid North Coast formed while a low-pressure system on the east coast was also present.
She said, “That’s produced some remarkable rainfall rates over the past 24 hours… many locations have witnessed up to 200mm and others close to 300mm.” The rainfall volume is nearly half that of Sydney’s average annual.
The public was advised to avoid all non-essential travel. There are roads that have been submerged and others at high risk of flash flooding.
