Heavy Rains In Australia's East Bring Worst Floods In 50 Years

The flooding comes in stark contrast with the devastating bushfires that struck Australia in late 2019 and early 2020, when nearly 7% of NSW land was scorched.

Heavy rains along Australia's east coast over the weekend have brought the worst flooding in half a century in some areas, authorities said on Sunday, forcing thousands to evacuate and damaging hundreds of houses. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the downpour across the state, Australia's most populous with 8 million people, was worse than initially expected, especially for low-lying areas in Sydney's northwest. "Yesterday, we were hoping it will only be a one-in-20-year event, now it looks like a one-in-50-year event," Berejiklian said at a televised briefing. People in parts of Sydney's northwest were ordered to flee their houses in the middle of the night as fast-moving waters caused widespread destruction. Berejiklian said another 4,000 people may still be asked to evacuate.