By Diya Jalan
Extremely heavy downpours leading to multiple flash floods have forced almost 40,000 Australian residents to evacuate. New South Wales, one of the worst-hit regions, has declared “natural disaster zones” as a large dam overflowed, causing many rivers to break their banks.
Up to 35 inches of rain fell over 4 days. Flood warnings are being made across Eastern Australia, particularly in areas recently gripped by wildfires, which are vulnerable to excessive rainfall, increasing the risk of other complications like landslides.
Government Response
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “This is an ongoing situation that is evolving and is extremely dangerous,” deploying the Australian Defence Force to help with clean-up operations. The government has also launched financial aid for those who have sustained injuries or lost their homes.
More than 7000 calls to emergency services for assistance have been made, along with hundreds of flood rescues. If the damage worsens, officials say they will extend natural disaster declarations to include more areas by the coast.
Link to Climate Change
These devastating floods have raised concerns over climate change just a year after the country experienced the worst wildfires in history. Scientists fear that these are signs of more extreme weather to come, with more intense temperatures and rainfall.
A warming climate speeds up evaporation, hence land surfaces dry out rapidly. As more water vapour enters the atmosphere, the likelihood of excessive rainfall increases. In the last 10 years, extreme weather has cost the country €23 million in damages, which is expected to rise.
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