Massive floods wreak havoc in eastern Australia
May 23, 2025
Incessant rain over the past three days has unleashed massive floods in eastern Australia, inundating streets, cutting off entire towns and destroying homes.
Parts of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, have been the worst hit by the fast-rising waters.
The storms have dumped more than six months' worth of rain over three days, the government weather bureau has said.
What do we know about the flood damage in New South Wales?
The death toll from the floods rose to four on Friday.
Four bodies have been pulled from the floodwater engulfing parts of northern New South Wales, a region some 400 kilometers (250 miles) up the coast from Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns visited some flood-affected areas on Friday.
"These are horrific circumstances," Albanese said. "The Australian Defense Force will be made available. There's going to be a big recovery effort required," he told local radio.
"There's been massive damage to infrastructure and we're going to have to all really pitch in."
The government has declared a natural disaster, unlocking greater resources for affected areas.
Tens of thousands still stranded
Waters started receding on Friday morning, but around 50,000 people still remain isolated, authorities said.
Thousands of workers have been deployed on rescue and recovery missions, as well as clean-up operations.
Officials also warned people returning to their flooded homes to watch out for dangers.
"Floodwaters have contaminants. There can be vermin, snakes. You need to assess those risks," New South Wales State Emergency Service boss Dallas Burnes said. "Electricity can also pose a danger as well."
Frequent extreme weather events
Australia has been facing more extreme weather events in recent years that some experts say are happening because of climate change.
According to the government weather bureau, the oceans surrounding the country have been "abnormally warm" over the past few months.
Warmer seas lead to the evaporation of more moisture into the atmosphere, which can eventually cause more intense rains.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah