ANKARA – Thousands of people in the Australian state of Victoria have been displaced by the ongoing flood as the country battles extreme weather.
According to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, so far 11,000 displaced victims have applied for state payments, Anadolu Agency reported, quoting ABC News.
“That gives you a bit of a sense of exactly how many people are out of their homes,” the broadcaster quoted Andrews as saying.
“This is a very, very significant event affecting many tens of thousands of people,” he added.
The devastating flood also caused huge damage to roads, power systems and houses in several areas of the state.
According to the state government, more than 10,000 repairs on roads have been carried out while 359 roads in the state are still closed and 1,860 properties are without power.
The state government also announced AUD$351 million (US$218 million) to help the flood-affected communities while AUD$165 million (US$102 million) will be spent on road repairs and clean-up efforts.
“There isn’t a second to waste as we begin recovery in flood-affected communities – whether it’s support for households, clean-ups, or local roads, we’ll deliver the support Victorians need,” said Andrews in a separate statement.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also visited the flood-hit areas of Victoria and New South Wales along with other senior officials.
“I do want to say that we are living in very dangerous times in the days and weeks ahead. What we have is a potential of further rain events here in western New South Wales,” the prime minister told reporters.
On Sunday, Victoria also reported its first death in current flooding when a 71-year-old man was found dead at a home in the Rochester area.
Areas of three southeastern states – Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania – are under emergency flood warnings following heavy rains in the southeast this week.
The crisis comes after flooding in March and April on the east coast, which killed more than 20 people. – Bernama
