SYDNEY (AP) – Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, issued more evacuation orders on Sunday after the worst flooding in decades.
New South Wales state emergency services responded to 640 calls for help Saturday night, including 66 to rescue the floods.
New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian said hundreds of people had been rescued from the waters.
Evacuation orders have been issued at various locations on the north-northeast coast of the state, which Berejiklian said he was experiencing a 100-year event and “although we don’t think things will get any worse. a In the middle of the north coast, conditions will definitely continue, so rainfall will continue in parts that have already been affected. ”
Berejiklian also said parts of western Sydney are being hit by a weather event of one in 50 years, with some locations recorded at more than 300 millimeters of rain since Friday morning, breaking records.
The Warragamba Dam, west of Sydney, began to overflow on Sunday and so far 13 evacuation centers have been opened across the state. More evacuation is expected as bad weather is expected to last mid-week.
Local authorities urge people not to drive in flooded areas as they could be easily swept away by strong currents.