Floods ravaging Australia have killed at least 12 people, according to a new report, and the rains were heading towards Sydney on Wednesday where the authorities warned the population.
For the past week, torrential rains have been falling on the east coast of the country. The floodwaters swept away cars and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes whose balconies and roofs were completely submerged.
“It’s awful. One life lost is (one life) too many,” said New South Wales Deputy Premier Paul Toole after confirming a third death in the town of Lismore on Wednesday, bearing the total death toll at 12 in the country
“Today the focus is on Sydney. We are expecting heavy rain in the afternoon, overnight and (the day of) tomorrow,” Mr. Toole warned Wednesday at a press conference.
After ravaging the state of Queensland, the storm moved south, dumping large amounts of water and triggering a series of flood warnings in New South Wales, including Sydney, the largest city. from Australia.
The city’s main check dam has reached capacity and has started releasing water, Toole said.
“If there is a knock on your door, if you are asked to leave, please leave,” he implored.
“We do not want to see images where people are on the roof of their house”, without leaving, “and then be rescued”.
In the NSW seaside town of Ballina, some 55 patients from the local hospital were evacuated overnight, hours before high sea tide combined with waters overflowing the banks of the Richmond River .
Australia has been hit hard by climate change: droughts, deadly bushfires, Great Barrier Reef bleaching events and floods are becoming more frequent and intense due to the evolution of the global climate.