SYDNEY: Thousands of people on Australia’s east coast fled their homes Wednesday as torrential rains tracked north after unleashing floods in Sydney that submerged communities, roads and bridges under mud-brown water.
New South Wales authorities issued fresh flood alerts north of Australia’s largest city and warned that rising, rain-swollen rivers still posed a danger in parts of Sydney despite easing rainfall in the city.
“This event is far from over,” the state’s Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
Since the floods began over the weekend, emergency services have issued more than 100 evacuation orders.
A total 85,000 people have been told to leave their homes immediately or be ready to depart imminently so they will not be stranded by rising floodwaters.
Across Sydney’s western fringe, rivers broke their banks and large areas have been transformed into inland lakes, with mud-brown waters invading homes while cutting off roads and bridges.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the affected area Wednesday, promising to look for “long-term solutions” after multiple flooding disasters across Australia’s east coast in the past 18 months.
Albanese said that while “Australia has always been subject of floods, of bushfires,” scientists have warned climate change would make such events more frequent and intense.
“What we are seeing, unfortunately, is that play out,” he said.
There were 21 flood rescues across New South Wales overnight, and on Wednesday more than 1,000 emergency service workers were in the field.
The federal government has declared a natural disaster in 23 flooded parts of the state, unlocking relief payments to stricken residents.
Many people affected have lived through successive east coast floods that struck in 2021 and then again in March this year when more than 20 people were killed.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said the weather system was expected to move off coast later this week.
Andrew Hall, chief executive of the Insurance Council of Australia, said he expected the Sydney floods would be declared a “catastrophe” by the insurance industry.
He said 2,700 insurance claims have been lodged by Tuesday from Sydney alone, and more were anticipated as people were able to return to their homes.
Hall said there had been Aus$5 billion ($3.4 billion) in catastrophe claims made in Australia this year.
It was “untenable” for homes that had flooded four times in the past 18 months to remain in the insurance pool, Hall said, adding: “We’ve got to stand back and ask the question, ‘Have we built homes in the wrong spot?’”
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Thousands more flee as Sydney floods track north
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Thousands more flee as Sydney floods track north
- New South Wales authorities issued fresh flood alerts north of Australia’s largest city
- 85,000 people have been told to leave their homes immediately or be ready to depart imminentl
Australia calls on Trump to respect NATO soldiers
- ‘Those 47 Australian families who will be hurting by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, our admiration’
- US President Donald Trump lamented efforts of non-US troops in Afghanistan as ‘completely unacceptable’
SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that comments from US President Donald Trump lamenting the efforts of non-US troops in Afghanistan were “completely unacceptable.”
Trump said in a Fox News interview that NATO sent “some troops” but “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
Trump appeared to be partially walking back his remarks on Saturday amid growing outrage from European and now Australian allies.
Speaking on the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday morning, Albanese said Australian families of fallen soldiers would be “hurting” as a result of Trump’s comments.
“Those 47 Australian families who will be hurting by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, our admiration,” Albanese said.
“The bravery that was shown by 40,000 Australians (who) served in Afghanistan, they were certainly on the frontlines in order to, along with our other allies, defend democracy and freedom and to defend our national interests,” he added.
“They deserve our respect.”
On Saturday, a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Trump’s remarks as “appalling,” Trump appeared to change his position — at least as far as British troops were concerned.
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”
Albanese referenced Trump’s later comments, suggesting he also appreciated the Australian effort in Afghanistan.
“I think President Trump’s comments overnight indicate a very different position. He’s acknowledged the contribution,” Albanese told the ABC, but added that Trump’s previous comments were “entirely not appropriate. Completely unacceptable.”
‘I don’t like you either’
Albanese also announced Australia’s next Ambassador to the United States, recommending Greg Moriarty for the job.
Earlier this month, Australia announced its ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, would leave after a three-year tenure overshadowed by Trump’s verdict on him: “I don’t like you either.”
Former Australian prime minister Rudd, who departs his post on March 31 to become president of the Asia Society think tank in New York, had sharply criticized Trump while he was out of office.
Trump expressed disdain for Rudd during a televised US-Australia meeting at the White House in October last year, prompting some Australian opposition calls for his posting to be ended.
Albanese said Moriarty was an “outstanding Australian public servant,” and he had consulted with the Trump administration on his selection.
Trump said in a Fox News interview that NATO sent “some troops” but “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
Trump appeared to be partially walking back his remarks on Saturday amid growing outrage from European and now Australian allies.
Speaking on the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday morning, Albanese said Australian families of fallen soldiers would be “hurting” as a result of Trump’s comments.
“Those 47 Australian families who will be hurting by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, our admiration,” Albanese said.
“The bravery that was shown by 40,000 Australians (who) served in Afghanistan, they were certainly on the frontlines in order to, along with our other allies, defend democracy and freedom and to defend our national interests,” he added.
“They deserve our respect.”
On Saturday, a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Trump’s remarks as “appalling,” Trump appeared to change his position — at least as far as British troops were concerned.
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”
Albanese referenced Trump’s later comments, suggesting he also appreciated the Australian effort in Afghanistan.
“I think President Trump’s comments overnight indicate a very different position. He’s acknowledged the contribution,” Albanese told the ABC, but added that Trump’s previous comments were “entirely not appropriate. Completely unacceptable.”
‘I don’t like you either’
Albanese also announced Australia’s next Ambassador to the United States, recommending Greg Moriarty for the job.
Earlier this month, Australia announced its ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, would leave after a three-year tenure overshadowed by Trump’s verdict on him: “I don’t like you either.”
Former Australian prime minister Rudd, who departs his post on March 31 to become president of the Asia Society think tank in New York, had sharply criticized Trump while he was out of office.
Trump expressed disdain for Rudd during a televised US-Australia meeting at the White House in October last year, prompting some Australian opposition calls for his posting to be ended.
Albanese said Moriarty was an “outstanding Australian public servant,” and he had consulted with the Trump administration on his selection.
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