Record Rains Cause Huge Floods in Australia

Lismore, Australia —(Map)

Eastern Australia has been pounded by record-setting rainfall for over a week. The floods caused by the rain have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. In recent days, many people have been rescued from their roofs as waters kept rising.

Over the last week, the east coast of Australia has been hammered by rains that haven’t let up. The rain was so intense that it has been described as a “rain bomb”.

Some areas have gotten over 3.25 feet (1 meter) of rain in the last week. Others have gotten more rain in a week than they usually do in a year. At least 10 people have died as a result of the flooding.

Queensland

Early on, the area hit hardest was Queensland. The heavy rain and flooding began in the north, and moved slowly south. Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, has been heavily affected. Public transportation has been closed for days. Major highways were also closed. Many streets which are normally busy with traffic are now underwater.

Over 20,000 homes across Queensland have been hit by the floods. Over 1,500 people were evacuated. The flooding closed nearly 1,000 schools, and left at least 53,000 homes without electricity.

Early on, the area hit hardest was Queensland. Major highways were closed. Many streets which are normally busy with traffic are now underwater. Above, rescue workers look for people needing help in Paddington, outside of Brisbane.

The rain has mostly stopped in Queensland, but many of the rivers are still flooded. Many flooded areas are expected to get help from the state and national government to help recover from the flood damage.

New South Wales

Much of the heavy rain and serious flooding has now moved on to New South Wales. At least 40,000 people have been told to evacuate. Around 300,000 people have been told that they may need to evacuate soon.

In many places, people are trapped on their roofs. Around 50 people spent Monday night trapped on a bridge near Woodburn with no way off. They were rescued on Tuesday morning. Rescue workers from the state have already saved over 1,000 people, with thousands more calls for help coming in.

Much of the heavy rain and serious flooding has now moved on to New South Wales. At least 40,000 people have been told to evacuate. The city of Lismore (above), which has often flooded in the past, has been hit with record-setting rains.

The city of Lismore, which has often flooded in the past, has been hit with record-setting rains. At one point, in less than 30 minutes, the city got 7.13 inches (18.1 centimeters) of rain. The level of the nearby Wilsons River is over 6.5 feet (2.0 meters) higher than the previous record, which was set in 1954.

The rains and flooding are heading for Sydney, the capital of New South Wales. There is a severe weather warning for the area, which is home to over five million people. Many people there have been working hard to protect their homes from possible flooding.

Extreme Weather

Over the last few years, Australia has suffered from a number of extreme weather events. These include terrible droughts and large and deadly bushfires.

It’s too early to say how much of the current flooding is because of the climate crisis.  But it’s clear that climate change is part of it. Weather experts point out that as oceans warm, more water goes into the air. And as our atmosphere gets hotter, it’s able to hold more water, making heavy rain events like this even more serious.