Floods force thousands from their homes
- 12 years ago
Flooding across three states in eastern Australia have left farmland and towns underwater.
Days of heavy rain in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have forced the closure of bridges and roads.
Waterlogged fields are also raising fears that dairy output in southern New South Wales and central Victoria may be affected, with wine grape yields impacted as well.
A total of 10,000 people were also forced out of their homes.
About 8,000 residents in Wagga Wagga, 450 kilometres southwest of Sydney, were given orders to evacuate.
Officials are waiting to see if the nearby river will break a levee protecting the town centre.
People were doing as much as they could to save their homes and businesses before leaving town.
Belongings were taken with them, and stock moved off the floor.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED SHOP KEEPER SAYING:
"Well, we're taking all the main equipment that is lower to the ground - fridges and freezers - and, yeah, just getting everything off floor level and putting it up high so hopefully if it does come up over the levee banks and it comes through we're hopefully fairly safe. We don't have insurance for this sort of stuff, so we are just trying to take a few precautions."
Four high schools have been turned into evacuation centres for hundreds of people.
The New South Wales state premier Barry O'Farrell visited the centre on Tuesday.
Local media said more heavy rain is expected to fall in Queensland for the rest of the week.
Sophia Soo, Reuters.
Days of heavy rain in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have forced the closure of bridges and roads.
Waterlogged fields are also raising fears that dairy output in southern New South Wales and central Victoria may be affected, with wine grape yields impacted as well.
A total of 10,000 people were also forced out of their homes.
About 8,000 residents in Wagga Wagga, 450 kilometres southwest of Sydney, were given orders to evacuate.
Officials are waiting to see if the nearby river will break a levee protecting the town centre.
People were doing as much as they could to save their homes and businesses before leaving town.
Belongings were taken with them, and stock moved off the floor.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED SHOP KEEPER SAYING:
"Well, we're taking all the main equipment that is lower to the ground - fridges and freezers - and, yeah, just getting everything off floor level and putting it up high so hopefully if it does come up over the levee banks and it comes through we're hopefully fairly safe. We don't have insurance for this sort of stuff, so we are just trying to take a few precautions."
Four high schools have been turned into evacuation centres for hundreds of people.
The New South Wales state premier Barry O'Farrell visited the centre on Tuesday.
Local media said more heavy rain is expected to fall in Queensland for the rest of the week.
Sophia Soo, Reuters.