At least two people were killed Saturday in one of the worst flash floods in recent history in Australia’s northeastern state of Queensland, officials said.
The death toll from the floods, sparked by days of heavy rain, now stands at four. Two other people are missing.
“In some parts of southeast Queensland, this is the biggest event that they will see in a number of decades,” said Mark Ryan, Minister for Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.
Days of heavy rain are wreaking havoc in southeastern Queensland
More than 250 people have been moved to evacuation centers, while thousands of homes were without power.
Authorities issued 11 emergency alerts in the last 24 hours and responded to 1,800 distress calls. The storm is expected to persist through Sunday.
What we know so far
One of those who were killed overnight Saturday was an emergency volunteer.
The volunteer died when flood waters swept away the emergency vehicle they were traveling in, state police disaster coordinator Steve Gollschewski told a news conference.
Three other emergency workers in the car were rescued, he added.
The second deceased person was retrieved from floodwaters in the city of Brisbane.
Weather officials had warned Australians about a major flood that would inundate streets and push waters in the state’s major Mary river system beyond a level of
21.95 meters (72 feet) not seen since 1999.
“This is going to exceed an event that hasn’t happened in at least 20 to 25 years,” David Grant, forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, told reporters.
rm/nm (Reuters, AP)
Australia: 2 dead in flash floods
Source: Pinoy Pop News
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