Major flooding has persisted for parts of Southeast Australia and is expected to continue in the coming days as further heavy rain is likely, according to Australian weather authorities.
Over the past week, renewed floodwaters in Eastern Australia had killed more than 20 people and forced the evacuation of thousands of people as multiple homes were flooded.
Major Flooding Threat
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued a warning for persistent flooding and potential rainfall at 4:30 p.m. AEDT (local time) on Monday, October 17.
This comes as drier weather returned to flood-affected areas of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania on Monday.
However, floodwaters remained high and continue to rise in some locations.
In a media release on Monday, the BoM said major flooding has severely struck the Australian states, causing riverine flooding or the overflow of bodies of water like rivers and creeks across the region.
This type of flooding had endangered nearby communities and low-lying areas, affecting both residential and commercial establishments.
Also Read: Australia: Bureau of Meteorology Issues Storm Warnings and Flood Warnings for Lismore This Week
Victoria Flooding
In Victoria, major flooding has been reported in the following bodies of water:
- Wimmera River
- Avoca River
- Loddon River
- Campaspe River
- Goulburn River
- Seven and Castle Creeks
- Broken River
- Murray River
Meanwhile, flooding has also occurred in the areas of Barham, Charlton, Murchison, Shepparton, Charlton, Murchison, and Barham.
Related weather events are also expected in Echuca, Moama, Seymour, and Rochester.
More than 500 homes in Victoria were damaged and 500 others were cut off in flooding, which led to the death of a man in the town of Rochester and prompted local authorities to evacuate the town of Shepparton, according to The Guardian.
New South Wales Flooding
The following riverine flooding were also reported in the following sites in New South Wales:
- Barwon and Darling Rivers
- Macquarie River
- Bogan River
- Lachlan River
- Murrumbidgee River
Major flooding also continued in the Forbes, Tilpa, and Warren areas.
Eastern Australia Flood Warnings
The Australian weather agency issued flood warnings, urging residents and communities along or near any creeks, rivers, and streams, as well as in low-lying areas.
This is especially the case for southern Queensland and most parts of inland New South Wales, Victoria, and northern Tasmania.
The agency also advises the public monitor local weather developments and stay up-to-date for the latest forecast and warnings.
Eastern Australia Rainfall
While the inclement weather has ravaged the mentioned states, the prolonged rain event across Eastern Australia could cause flash flooding and heavy rain from central Queensland to Tasmania this week, according to ABC Meteorologist Tom Saunders.
Saunders predicted in his weather forecast that the Australian east coast could experience flooding later this week.
Major cities like Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney are likely to drench in rainfall of more than 50 millimeters in the next seven days.
Some towns around the Murray-Darling River could be the most impacted areas.
The Eastern Australia rainfall could also break held records for October, according to the Australian media outlet.
Related Article: Australia Flooding Inundates Hundreds of Homes, Forces Evacuation Orders, and Causes Power Outages