Flash Floods Follow Bushfires As Torrential Rain Hits Parts Of Australia
Flash flooding has hit some parts of Australia’s bushfire-damaged east coast as severe storms settled in on Saturday.
The deluge doused some of the fires that have devastated the region for months, but in turn caused road closures and severe flooding.
Despite the rain, authorities said they were still battling almost 100 blazes, which since September have killed at least 29 people, destroyed more than 2,500 homes, and scorched an estimated 10m hectares of land.
As the waters rose in previously drought-stricken areas, staff at the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales (NSW) were forced to rescue koalas from fast-flowing waters and beat back crocodiles with brooms.
Victoria, NSW and Queensland, three of the states most hit by drought and bushfires, are all now dealing with the extreme rainfall.
Major highways were closed in Queensland on Saturday, with the state getting some of the heaviest rain Australia has seen for months, while power was cut in parts of New South Wales after a stormy night.
“Heavy, intense rainfall has eased, but showers and thunderstorms still possible through the weekend,” the Bureau of Meteorology in Queensland said on Twitter on Saturday.
“Take care on the roads - if it’s flooded, forget it.”
8 hours of rain on the #GoldCoast and we people in boats on the streets of Southport. 🚣♂️ ☔️ pic.twitter.com/2GWL4mdb2K
— Ricky Kroesen 🇦🇺 (@rickykroesen) January 17, 2020
South East Queensland Storms: Heavy rain and flash flooding has caused closures on the M1 at the Gold Coast and forced @movieworldaus to shut for the day. #qldweather#7NEWShttps://t.co/HRn5hj3VDH
— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) January 18, 2020
Unbelievable - after the smoke haze that has engulfed our city some parts of Melbourne have received a month’s worth of rain in half an hour this afternoon @9NewsMelbpic.twitter.com/0klFgaQgRG
— Jo Hall (@Jo_Hall9) January 15, 2020
Parts of Queensland’s south saw triple the monthly rainfall...