The Warragamba Dam in western Sydney started to overflow due to heavy rains that hit Australia’s east coast. New South Wales police reported that a man, who was kayaking on the Parramatta River, drowned despite rescues, which had spotted him in distress.
In Sydney, thousands of people have been ordered to leave their homes due to torrential rains that have fallen in the last few hours on what is the largest city in the country, which have flooded the suburbs. There is a fear of a situation similar to that experienced by the city last March, also because meteorologists predict bad weather for days to come. The next 24 hours are considered the most dangerous hours.
“We are now facing dangers on multiple fronts: flash floods, overflows and coastal erosion,” New South Wales Minister of Emergency Services Steph Cooke said at a televised news conference. “This – he warned – is a life-threatening emergency situation”.
Floods in Sydney, aerial shots show an underwater suburb
The Windsor Bridge – which crosses the Hawkesbury River – in the city of Sydney has been closed due to the river’s overflow. For its part, the New South Wales region transport company advised drivers to avoid non-essential journeys.