Rescuers plucked more than 100 people from their roofs Monday after a flash flood swamped a small Australian town and sent residents scurrying for safety, officials said.

A weekend downpour over much of the already-sodden eastern state of New South Wales sent waters rising overnight, isolating some towns and communities.

Australia's east coast has been repeatedly swept by heavy rainfall in the past two years, driven by back-to-back La Nina cycles.

Many people in the town of Eugowra, with a population of about 800 people lying 350 kilometres (220 miles) west of Sydney, scrambled to their roofs to flee the latest flood.

Mud-brown floodwaters have transformed the town into a murky lake dotted with the tops of buildings and trees, television images showed.

"We have had 140 flood rescues in Eugowra alone. More than 100 of these were rescues from a roof," said the state's emergency services minister, Stephanie Cooke.

Stranded residents had been taken to safety by boat and helicopter, she told a news conference.

"This is a very serious situation, not just in Eugowra but in many places," Cooke said.

New Zealand had sent 12 people on Monday to help battle the state's floods, she said.

New South Wales' emergency services were also in contact with US and Singaporean authorities to secure further support, she said.

NSW has issued 16 immediate evacuation warnings since floods hit the central, western and southern parts of the state.

- Devastation -

"I would ask people to heed that warning: we can see how quickly the waters can rise, how quickly flash flooding happens, and the devastation it causes," said Carlene York, the NSW emergency services commissioner.

Emergency workers had carried out 173 flood rescues since early Monday, she said.

In a sign of the intensity of the thunderstorms, more than 150,000 lightning strikes had reached the ground in 24 hours across New South Wales, the bureau of meteorology said.

The town of Forbes, which lies a short distance west of Eugowra, had been lashed with 118 mm of rain in 24 hours -- its highest daily rainfall in 28 years, the bureau said.

The east coast flooding disaster in March -- caused by heavy storms in Queensland and New South Wales -- claimed more than 20 lives.

Tens of thousands of Sydney residents were ordered to evacuate in July when floods again swamped the city's fringe.

Scientists believe climate change could make periods of flooding more extreme because warmer air holds more moisture.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Floods in Central Africa leave fishermen stranded
Bangui, Central African Republic (AFP) Nov 9, 2022
Dawn is just breaking over the Central African Republic's capital Bangui as Pacome Koyeke glides his dug-out canoe over the silent misty waters of the Ubangui river. The tributary of the mighty Congo often floods during the rainy season, but this year the water levels have been catastrophic for the nation at the heart of the African continent. And communities that eke a livelihood from fishing have been among the worst affected. Seemingly endless civil wars have raged since 2013 and the Uni ... read more