Flash Flooding Leads To Emergency Rescues, Evacuations In Sydney

 

Sydney, Australia's bustling metropolis and the largest city in the country, faced a state of emergency on Saturday as heavy rainfall triggered flash floods, prompting swift rescue operations and evacuation directives for multiple low-lying areas.Within a 24-hour period leading up to 5 a.m. local time, emergency services in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, responded to 13 rescue missions and received 297 requests for assistance from distressed residents grappling with flooding caused by relentless downpours.The New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) issued ten emergency evacuation orders for suburbs in Sydney's northwest, as the country's weather service warned of the looming threat of severe flooding in the same region, home to approximately 5 million residents.Sydney's vulnerability to flash floods was accentuated by the unique geography of the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley, a floodplain characterized by five tributaries and constrictions that impede water flow to the ocean, resulting in water accumulation during periods of heavy rainfall.Dallas Burnes, Acting Assistant Commissioner of SES, cautioned residents about the persistent threat of flooding, urging them to remain vigilant and prepared for potential evacuations. New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib underscored the profound impact of the deluge, emphasizing that saturated catchments, overflowing waterways, and saturated ground exacerbated the crisis, affecting roads and bridges across the region.This recent emergency event follows a series of floods that plagued eastern Australia in April, during which over 150 people were rescued from floodwaters. According to the federal government's Australian Climate Service agency, floods rank as the second-deadliest natural disaster in Australia after heatwaves, responsible for approximately 20% of natural disaster-related fatalities between 1900 and 2022.