The Australian state of Western Australia is experiencing the “heaviest flooding in its history”. That said, the regional minister responsible for emergency services is Stephen Dawson. More than 200 people have already been evacuated.
The flooding in Kimberley, a sparsely populated region of Western Australia the size of the US state of California, results from heavy rain from Ellie, a former cyclone. “The water is everywhere,” said Dawson. Fitzroy Crossing, home to about 1,300 people, is among the hardest-hit towns. Food is delivered to affected residents by air.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who visited the region on Monday, has promised quick financial aid. “We know the bill will be huge, and my government is determined – in conjunction with the Western Australian government – to provide all possible assistance.”
Since the weekend, Ellie has been moving towards Queensland, east of the country. Heavy rain is also expected there, meteorologists warn. In Victoria, with the capital Melbourne, a heat wave is threatening again, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees.
The storm comes after two years of flooding in the country’s east due to the weather phenomenon La Niña. Australia is therefore suffering heavily from climate change, which also entails severe forest fires.