Record Floods Devastate Eastern Australia: 4 Dead, 10,000 Properties Damaged

Catastrophic floods have ravaged eastern Australia, killing four people and leaving one missing, Al Jazeera reported. Torrential rains—equivalent to months of rainfall in just 72 hours—isolated 50,000 residents in New South Wales (NSW), with entire towns cut off by submerged roads. Emergency crews rescued 678 people, including 177 in the past day.

Authorities estimate 10,000 properties were damaged, with rural communities hit hardest. Livestock were swept away, and coastal areas are strewn with debris and dead animals. Sydney faced cascading disruptions: two airport runways closed briefly, and Warragamba Dam, at 96% capacity, risks overflowing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Christopher Minns praised volunteers for preventing “hundreds of deaths.” Climate scientists warn such disasters are becoming the “new normal,” linking the floods to intensifying weather extremes.

Residents returning to flooded areas were urged to avoid contaminated water and electrical hazards. The storm system now threatens Sydney, compounding the crisis.