Australia flooding

lkdood

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Apr 7, 2008
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lkdood

Member
Apr 7, 2008
56,856
1,798
0
Washington, D.C. / London, U.K.
Deadly Australian floods spark evacuations in Brisbane


Authorities urged thousands of people to leave the outskirts of Australia's third-largest city, Brisbane, on Tuesday as floodwaters raced eastwards after a surging two-metre wall of water killed nine people overnight.

Cars and pedestrians were swept away on Monday night when a "super rainstorm" sent water raging through the streets of Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. Police said more than 40 people had been pulled from rooftops by helicopters, but by mid-afternoon 59 were still missing.

The worst flooding in Queensland state in 50 years has killed 13 people in the past two weeks, but police warn the death toll could rise significantly.

Traffic jams formed in central Brisbane as people headed out by car amid heavy rains and initial flooding, residents stocked up on food supplies and families started filling evacuation centres in the city and the neighbouring town of Ipswich.

Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman said some 6,500 homes, businesses and properties would be flooded by Thursday.

Reuters