A vehicle attempts to drive through floodwater in the village of Tintenbar on April 4, 2024 in Byron Bay, Australia.
James D. Morgan | News Getty Images | Getty Images
Australian authorities said 152 people were rescued from floodwaters in the eastern state of New South Wales on Saturday after torrential rain triggered warnings for residents to move to higher ground.
Authorities said 72 rescues were carried out in the state capital Sydney, Australia’s largest city, where dangerous flooding occurred in several low-lying suburbs.
About 15 emergency evacuation orders were in place across the state, the New South Wales State Emergency Service said, which received 4,128 calls for help in the 24 hours to 5am local time.
“Flood levels in some rivers, particularly in western Sydney, continue to rise,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said in a televised news conference.
Torrential rain hit Australia’s southeast on Friday, dumping nearly a month’s worth of rain on Sydney and prompting people to warn to avoid non-essential travel and stay indoors.
Sydney received 111mm (4.4 inches) of rain in the 24 hours to Friday morning, national weather forecast data showed, just shy of the average rainfall of 121.5mm for the month of April.