Sydney asks thousands to evacuate as torrential rains cause flash floods
April 7, 2022, 10:37 am

Sydney asks thousands to evacuate as torrential rains cause flash floods

Torrential rain pummeled Australia’s east coast on Thursday (7 Apr) with Sydney receiving nearly a month’s rain overnight, turning suburban roads into rivers and triggering evacuations as authorities warn of more rain through the day (File photo: Pixabay)

The Arab News reported, citing Reuters, torrential rain pummeled Australia’s east coast on Thursday (7 Apr) with Sydney receiving nearly a month’s rain overnight, turning suburban roads into rivers and triggering evacuations as authorities warn of more rain through the day.

A man swept away by floodwaters in the city’s northwest was rescued by emergency crews, media reported, while television footage showed vehicles struggling to cross waterlogged streets, fallen power lines and trees, and debris floating in rivers.

Residents of a nursing home were evacuated overnight as emergency crews urged the harbor city’s 5 million residents to avoid unnecessary travel and brace for possible evacuations.

“This is a highly dynamic situation. These events are moving exceptionally quickly,” New South Wales emergency services Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin said during a media briefing. He said: “Exceptionally sharp, short bursts of rain” have been creating flash flooding almost every hour.

Thousands Australians have been ordered to evacuate their homes while businesses cleared essentials to help mitigate their losses (File photo: Pixabay) — Thousands Australians have been ordered to evacuate their homes while businesses cleared essentials to help mitigate their losses. (File photo: Pixabay)

The Bureau of Meteorology said, Sydney has received 1,227 mm (48 inches) of rain so far this year, more than its average annual rainfall of 1,213 mm. Over the next 24 hours, many coastal towns could get up to 180 mm (7 inches).

Official data showed that the tourist hot spot of Bondi recorded around 170 mm over the 24-hour period to 9 a.m. Thursday (2300 GMT, Wednesday).

Thousands have been ordered to evacuate their homes while businesses cleared essentials to help mitigate their losses.

Australia will move away from reporting daily COVID-19 deaths

Nicola Gilfillan, a cafe owner in southwest Sydney, told ABC television: “All hands are on deck to try and save some furniture ... so we have been pretty busy lifting things up ... moving things away, unplugging filters and electricity, and things like that."

Overflow from a fuel pit at a site owned by oil refiner Ampol in Sydney’s south caused oil to mix with flood waters but emergency crews said the spill has been contained and that there was no risk of danger in the area.

The weather bureau said, a severe weather warning stretched along the south coast of New South Wales over a distance of more than 600 kilometers but conditions are expected to ease from Thursday evening.

Australia's diverse genetic koala could help save endangered colonies

Authorities said that Australia’s east coast summer has been dominated by the La Nina weather phenomenon, typically associated with increased rainfall, for the second straight year, with most rivers at capacity even before the latest drenching. Warragamba Dam, Sydney’s major water supply, is expected to spill over on Friday.

Three intense weather systems in six weeks have pounded eastern Australia, with several parts of northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland clocking record rains and Sydney registering its wettest March on record.

Climate change is also widely believed to be a contributing factor to the severe weather, which has raised questions about how prepared Australia is.

Australia partners with Indonesia to tackle Indo-Pacific pollution

Several towns across northern New South Wales are still battling to clear tons of debris after two separate devastating floods in March but the latest weather event has smashed the state’s central and southern coast.

Source: arabnews

Israel imposes age restrictions on Palestinian males for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque Hungary's foreign minister says his country receives nuclear fuel from Russia by air

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”