WATCH: Thousands evacuated as flooding hits Australia

Australia authorities have declared a natural disaster on Sunday following heavy rainfall in various parts of New South Wales (NSW) with some 18 000 people being evacuated.

CAPE TOWN, March 22 (ANA) – Australia authorities have declared a natural disaster on Sunday following heavy rainfall in various parts of New South Wales (NSW) with around 18,000 people being evacuated.

According to the BBC, the rain started pouring in since last Thursday and the country’s east coast went into crises on Saturday, after the torrential rainfall caused a major dam and rivers to overflow leading to the flash flooding.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said that while no deaths have been reported, it has been a miracle what they have been through, seeing as many of the communities being affected by the floods had battled the bushfires the previous summer.

“I don’t know any time in state history where we have had these extreme weather conditions in such quick succession in the middle of a pandemic,” said Berejiklian.

“This is nothing like we’ve seen since the 1960s… this looks like it will be a one-in-50-year event.”

The Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers reportedly reached higher levels than during the floods of 1961, and that the Warragamba Dam which is Sydney’s main water source has reached its peak.

Officials said the widespread damage forced 15,000 evacuations in the Mid-North Coast and 3,000 in Sydney.

“Across NSW, 1,400 first responders have conducted over 700 flood rescues and responded to over 7,500 requests for assistance,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday.

“This is not the first time that NSW has faced such terrible storms and flood events.

“This is an ongoing situation that is evolving and is extremely dangerous,” he said.

– African News Agency (ANA), Edited by Devereaux Morkel