by Renju Jose
SYDNEY, March 30 (Reuters) – Torrential rains battered Australia’s east coast on Wednesday, leading thousands to evacuate their homes for the second time in weeks as floodwaters caused rivers to overflow, submerging entire cities.
Several towns in northern New South Wales, already battered by record flooding more than a month ago, were hit by an intense low pressure system overnight. Some areas received rainfall equivalent to a month’s worth of rain in less than six hours, authorities said.
The main street in Byron Bay, a tourist destination about 750km north of Sydney, was flooded and several shops were under water. Television footage showed a family wading through knee-deep water, carrying suitcases full of belongings.
At Lismore, in the north of the region, the water level of the Wilsons River exceeded the height of the dyke by 10.65 metres. The city of 30,000 people received about 400mm of rain in a 24-hour period through Wednesday morning, according to available data. Footage circulating on social media showed stranded vehicles, including a caravan, floating in the flooded streets.
A total of 14 evacuation orders and eight warnings were issued along the NSW north coast, a distance of around 500km. (French version Elena Vardon, edited by Jean-Michel Bélot)
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