May 22, 2025

Record-breaking floods have ravaged Australia's east coast, resulting in three fatalities and one individual reported missing. The deluge, which commenced on Tuesday, has prompted a massive emergency response in New South Wales, particularly north of Sydney. The region has been inundated by relentless rain, surpassing historical flooding benchmarks set in 1921 and 1929. The situation remains critical with further heavy rainfall anticipated. Christopher Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, has issued warnings of potential evacuations affecting tens of thousands of residents as meteorologists project up to 30 centimeters of rainfall within a day. The calamity has already claimed lives, with the recovery of a 63-year-old man's body in Moto, New South Wales, on Wednesday. Another fatality involves a man in his 30s whose body was found in Rosewood after being swept away by floodwaters. Additionally, a 60-year-old woman perished when her SUV was trapped in floodwaters near Brooklana. The search for a missing 49-year-old man is ongoing after he failed to return home near a flooded road in Nymboida. The unprecedented flooding has necessitated over 500 rescues, primarily from individuals attempting to navigate perilous submerged roads. Emergency responders have conducted 330 flood rescues in the past 24 hours, utilizing helicopters to extricate stranded individuals from rooftops and verandas. Communities such as Taree, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Bellingen have been severely impacted, with some experiencing a month's worth of rainfall within just 24 hours. The scale of the disaster has led to the establishment of 14 evacuation centers in the region. Meteorological assessments attribute the catastrophic conditions to a persistent low-pressure weather system that has lingered over the area for days, generating up to 60 centimeters of rainfall in some locations. The prolonged nature of the rainfall has intensified the flooding, transforming it into a widespread and significant event. Despite a decrease in rainfall intensity, the situation remains precarious. As Australia grapples with this crisis, the resolute efforts of emergency services and the community are crucial in mitigating further loss of life and property damage.

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Tags: Australia, Flood, Rescue, New south wales, Rain, Emergency,