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Forecasters in Australia are predicting heavy rains over large swathes of the country’s south and east on Sunday as the flood crisis continues in two of the most populous states. The week-long emergency in NSW and Victoria comes as Australia suffers from La Niña for the third time in a row A weather event that brings heavy rain.
Floods have killed five, sparking thousands seeking aid And resulted in hundreds of people being rescued from the rising waters. On Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for 320km (200 miles) of the NSW north coast, including the regional centre of Lismore.
Lismore was one of the areas hardest hit by the devastating floods that hit eastern Australia in March, killing at least 13 people and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands. Forecasters are forecasting up to 300mm (1ft) of rain in the area, which also includes Byron Bay, over the next 24 hours. “During this period, localized heavy rainfall that could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is also possible,” the agency said on its website.
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Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, issued 122 flood warnings. Flooding is forecast to be worst in the northeast near Murray and on the southern border around the town of Moama, about 780km (480 miles) from Sydney. Video provided by emergency services showed Moree, a town of about 7,500 people, largely inundated, with people being dragged to safety from flooded rivers in other parts of the state.
Across the border, 67 flood warnings were issued in Victoria and parts of the Crown and nearby Echuca, a town of 15,000 people on the Murray River, Australia’s longest river, were urged to evacuate. The river rose to about 94.80 meters (311 feet) on Sunday, similar to the level of devastating floods in 1993, and is expected to peak at about 95 meters later in the day.
Also read | Flood conditions improve in eastern UP as water recedes
About 750 people have been rescued across the state in the past 10 days, Victoria Emergency Services said. On Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said 150 Australian Defence Force personnel were assisting in NSW and 350 soldiers were assisting in Victoria.
Albanese joined Premier Daniel Andrews on a tour of flood-affected parts of Victoria over the weekend after suburbs near the state capital Melbourne’s CBD were flooded. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Friday that widespread flooding would dent Australia’s economic growth and increase inflation.
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