Flooding in eastern Australia by Kirsty McCabe
Thousands of Australians are stranded by floodwaters and some could remain isolated for up to a week after torrential rains hit the country’s east coast. Although the flooding is easing, several people in towns in the northeast of New South Wales and southern Queensland have been cut off by four days of heavy downpours.
A state of emergency was declared over the weekend in these areas, as the worst flood conditions in 20 years hit the region. Rising flood waters in parts of eastern Australia flooded several towns on Sunday, as rivers reached their peak points and flooded streets. Many people had to be rescued in southern Queensland too.
Some areas in the north of New South Wales received more than 300 mm (12 inches) of rain on Friday night, according to the weather bureau.
Officials said the rain had brought some good news boosting water levels in a region that has suffered from persistent drought in recent years.
Australia regularly experiences cyclones between November and April, but cooler sea temperatures than normal in the Pacific could mean an enhanced season. The La Nina weather phenomenon has brought cooler temperatures to the Pacific helping to lift rainfall amounts above average. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino and brings rain to Australia’s east, parts of Indonesia as well as the western US.
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