Thousands more evacuate in Sydney even though heavy rains ease
Source: Reuters
July 6, 2022
3:09 AM GMT-2:30
SYDNEY, July 6 (Reuters) - A wild storm system that has pounded parts of Sydney with torrential rain for four days has moved away from the city, satellite images showed on Wednesday, although rivers remained above danger levels, forcing more evacuations.
In Australia's third major flooding episode this year, more than 85,000 people in New South Wales, most in Sydney's western suburbs, have been asked to either evacuate or warned they might receive evacuation orders, up from Tuesday's 50,000, authorities said.
"This still remains a dangerous situation and we need to respond appropriately," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, announcing a one-off emergency cash payment of A$1,000 ($680) for flood-hit residents during a visit to the Sydney suburb of Windsor - suffering its third major deluge this year.
Yet frustration with the government's response was evident as Albanese visited a volunteer emergency relief shelter to meet affected people.
"Everyone is talking about fixing the same problem ... nothing has happened," television channels showed a resident telling Albanese. "The locals are always prepared, the government is not."
Australia's east coast weather has been dominated by the La Nina phenomenon, typically associated with greater rainfall, for two years in a row.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thousands-more-evacuate-sydney-even-though-heavy-rains-ease-2022-07-06/
Of course, when we think of Australia, "desert" is the word that comes to mind. But hey, when you're playing Climate Roulette with four of the six chambers loaded. . .
Hmm, is four to optimistic? Maybe it's five!?
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