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Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate southwest Sydney, Australia’s largest city, today after torrential rain and strong winds lashed the east coast and threatened flooding in areas hit in March.
The Met Office warned of heavy rain that could lead to flooding and landslides along the east coast region from Newcastle to Bateman’s Bay in New South Wales state, with rain expected to intensify over the next two days.
“We are now facing risks on multiple fronts – flash floods, river flooding and coastal erosion,New South Wales emergency services minister Steph Cooke said at a televised media briefing.
She urged people to reconsider holiday travel, with the severe weather hitting at the start of the school holidays.
“This is a life-threatening emergency,Cooke said.
More than 200 millimeters of rain fell in many areas with some receiving up to 350 millimetres, the Bureau of Meteorology said, warning of flooding risks along the Nepean River.
Heavy rain caused Sydney’s main dam to overflow overnight, water authorities said, adding that modeling showed the spill would be comparable to a major spill in March 2021 at Warragamba Dam.
“There is no place for water to remain in the dams. They are starting to pour. The rivers flow very fast and very dangerous. And then we have the risk of flash flooding, depending on where the rains are,” State Emergency Service. said Commissioner Carlene York.
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