Floods ravaging Australia have killed at least 12 people, according to a new report, and the rains were heading towards Sydney on Wednesday, where authorities warned the population.
For the past week, torrential rains have been falling on the east coast of the country. 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. A lost life is [une de] too much,” said Paul Toole, deputy premier of the state of New South Wales, after confirming a third death in the town of Lismore on Wednesday, bringing the total death toll in the country to 12.
“Today the focus is on Sydney. We are expecting heavy rain in the afternoon, overnight and [la journée de] tomorrow, ”warned Mr. Toole at a press conference on Wednesday.
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 don’t want to see images where people are on the roof of their house”, because they have not left, “and then be rescued”.
In the seaside town of Ballina, New South Wales, 55 patients from the local hospital were moved overnight, hours before high sea tide combined with waters overflowing the banks of the Richmond River.
If there’s a knock on your door, if you’re asked to leave, please leave
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.