SYDNEY, July 4(ABC): Fresh evacuation orders were issued for tens of thousands of Sydney residents on Monday after relentless rains flooded several suburbs in Australia’s largest city, with officials warning of more wild weather to come.
An intense low-pressure system off Australia’s east coast is forecast to bring more heavy rain through Monday across New South Wales after several places in the state were hit with about a month’s rain over the weekend.
With about 30,000 residents in New South Wales state facing evacuation, frustration swelled in several suburbs in Sydney’s west after floods submerged homes, farms and bridges there, some for the third time this year.
“It’s just devastating. We are in disbelief,” Camden Mayor Theresa Fedeli said.
“Most of them have just come out of the last flood, getting their homes back in place, their businesses back in place and unfortunately we are saying it is happening again.”
An operation was underway to rescue 21 crew members from a cargo ship, which lost power south of Sydney and risked being swept ashore, local media reported.
“It has been a very difficult time for many months to have this flood event off the back of others, (it) makes it more challenging,” New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said during a televised media briefing.
No loss of lives has been reported so far as officials urged people to leave their homes when ordered and avoid driving on flooded roads.
Tracey, a resident from flood-hit Windsor, said she can’t cope with the frequent floods.