Heavy rains battered Australia’s east coast Saturday forcing mass evacuations as the waters flooded roads and left thousands stranded.
Most of the coast of New South Wales state, home to more than one-third of the country’s 25 million people, has already seen record rainfall in March, according to a Reuters report.
“I hate to say this again to all our citizens of the state, but it’s not going to be an easy week for us,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told a televised briefing. “The rain may not stop till Thursday or Friday.”
Government officials had issued nine evacuation orders in the region, according to Reuters.
Television footage showed heavily damaged homes and people kayaking through flooded streets.
In Sydney, a mini tornado caused damage to more than 30 homes in a western suburb, Reuters reported.
Trucks stuck in a flooded road, following heavy rains in Taree, New South Wales, Australia on March 20, 2021. Reuters