On April 4, 2024, a car tried to drive through floodwaters in Tintenbar Village, Byron Bay, Australia.
James D. Morgan | James D. Morgan Getty Images News | Getty Images
Australian authorities said on Saturday that 152 people had been rescued from floods in eastern New South Wales state as heavy rains prompted warnings for residents to move to higher ground.
Authorities said 72 rescue operations had been carried out as dangerous flooding occurred in several low-lying suburbs of Sydney, the capital of Australia’s largest city state.
The New South Wales State Emergency Service said about 15 emergency evacuation orders had been issued across the state and it had received 4,128 calls for help in the 24 hours to 0500 local time.
“Flood levels in some rivers, particularly in western Sydney, continue to rise,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minings told a televised media conference.
Heavy rain lashed Australia’s southeast on Friday, bringing nearly a month’s worth of rain to Sydney and prompting people to avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors.
Data from the National Weather Service showed 111 millimeters (4.4 inches) of rain fell in Sydney in the 24 hours to Friday morning, just below the April average of 121.5 millimeters.
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