Thousands of people called to leave

MELBOURNE (AFP) – Thousands of residents were told to evacuate their homes threatened by floodwaters as hundreds of homes flooded across southeastern Australia on Friday.

Victoria – Australia’s second most populous state – has been hit by a sudden rise in water levels that led to the evacuation of Maribyrnong, a suburb of Melbourne.

“Our house is under water,” Leah Caluzzi, who lives in Maribyrnong, told AFP, “The water is waist-high.”

In the streets, cars are being swallowed by the waves, while residents have to be evacuated in inflatable boats.

State Premier Daniel Andrews said 500 homes were “flooded” and rescuers could no longer access 500 properties surrounded by water.

“The number will certainly increase. Helicopters are currently conducting damage assessments,” Andrews said Friday afternoon, noting that helicopters were still conducting “damage assessments.”

Most of the rain had passed by Friday morning, but state emergency services warned that flooding could worsen as upstream aquifers drain their topsoil.

“The situation in the state of Victoria continues to deteriorate,” emergency services spokesman Tim Wybusch told reporters.

He estimated that “some parts” of the state could be spared “significant flooding over the next few days”.

In Shepparton, about two hours from Melbourne, 4,000 homes could be flooded early next week, Wiebush said.

– “Living in Danger” –

Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has announced that the Australian Army is deploying sandbags and dams in parts of Victoria to help keep water out of their homes.

He spoke of “a major emergency for the state of Victoria”.

A disused Covid-19 quarantine center to accommodate a thousand people will be opened to residents forced to leave their homes.

The island state of Northern Tasmania, south of Victoria, is also bracing for major flooding on Friday.

120 roads were closed due to heavy rains.

“Flooding is putting lives at risk,” the Tasmanian State Emergency Service said in a statement.

New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, is the third Australian state to be directly affected by the heavy rains and could see water levels rise on Friday.

A center has been set up for evacuees in the town of Forbes, about five hours’ drive east of Sydney, after Thursday evening’s heavy rain.

In March, the east coast of the main island was hit hard by severe flooding that claimed 20 lives following several extreme weather events.

Thousands of Sydney residents were forced from their homes following heavy rain in July.

Australia is at the forefront of the effects of climate change, with floods, bushfires, cyclones and droughts becoming more frequent and intense as the planet warms, scientists warn.