Melbourne, Feb 27 (BNA): The death toll from flash floods in northeastern Australia rose to seven on Sunday, as a severe storm hit Brisbane and southeastern Queensland.
State Premier Anastasia Pallaschuk compared the weather to the cyclone event, as Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, braced for flooding on Sunday, before the rains subsided by Monday.
“Can I tell everyone right from the start today, if you don’t have to be on the roads, please don’t be on the roads,” Blachzuk said at a news briefing on Sunday. “We have a lot of water rising across Brisbane and the Southeast at the moment.”
It was a flood emergency across southeast Queensland, a state known for its abundant sunshine. All Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast beaches, and popular attractions, have been closed, according to Reuters.
More than 1,400 Brisbane homes are expected to be affected by the potential flooding. Queensland emergency services said they have received 100 requests for assistance every hour in recent days.
About 700 people were told to evacuate from the city of Jimbe on Saturday after the Mari River system rose above 22.06 meters (72.4 feet), making it the city’s worst flooding since the 1880s.
Six people have died in Queensland floods so far, including the death of a 34-year-old late Saturday when he tried to swim to safety when his car was inundated by floodwaters.
A man died in floodwaters in northern New South Wales (NSW) when his car was driven away, as heavy rains moved south, posing dangers for New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state.
“Heavy thunderstorms are expected [northeast of NSW] Although from Sunday to Monday. The NSW Met Office said on Twitter: “Life-threatening flash floods and major river floods are likely.”
HF