The crisis in Australia is deteriorating, with 18,000 residents forced to flee their homes in New South Wales (NSW) due to floods.
The city is also witnessing a lot of rain around Sydney and east Queensland, rivers, and lakes have overflowed.
Officials said that 15,000 residents have been evacuated from the state’s Mid-North Coast and another 3,000 have been evacuated from Sydney, according to the international news agency.
On Monday, over 150 schools were closed due to river closures that cut off roads and bridges.
The Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers, which flank Sydney to the north and west, reportedly hit higher heights on Monday, according to reports. The Hawkesbury River could reach a height of about 13m (42ft) later in the day, according to forecasters.
In addition, Sydney’s largest water reservoir, Warragamba Dam, has overflowed for the first time in five years. Authorities estimated that it was releasing 500 gigalitres of water per day, which is equal to the depth of Sydney Harbour.
Officials have encouraged citizens to exercise caution. According to reports, the “once-in-a-50-year phenomenon” could last all week.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided to support those who were forced to leave the region. “It’s another trying moment for our country,” he told a radio station.
Some of the areas “being devastated by the floods,” according to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, had been impacted by bushfires and drought the previous year.
“I don’t believe we’ve ever seen these severe weather events in such rapid succession in the midst of a pandemic,” she added.