Status: 09.01.2023 11:59
After the flood of the century in northwest Australia, the Albanian prime minister has promised to provide swift financial aid to the affected populations. Now the storm is moving on and residents of the east coast must be prepared for heavy rains.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited the Kimberley floodplain in northwest Australia and promised swift financial aid. Albanese interrupted his holidays to fly to the site of the disaster and get an idea of the situation.
“We know the bill is going to be huge and my Government is committed to providing all the support we can, in partnership with the Government of Western Australia,” said the prime minister.
Heaviest rain in 100 years
Days of heavy rains had transformed dozens of villages and towns in the region, also a tourist destination, into huge lakes. The Fitzroy Crossing community, which was temporarily cut off from the outside world, was hardest hit. Many residents had to be airlifted out by helicopter. The auxiliaries distributed food to those who remained, even by helicopter.
Though the rain has abated recently, some cities may still be cut off from the outside world for days. The region’s Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said: “We haven’t seen rain like this for at least 100 years. It’s shocking how high the water is.”
Parts of the Great Northern Highway, which connects the metropolis of Perth with the northern port city of Wyndham, are still impassable. Albanese stressed that considerable investment in repair work is needed here. “This is the main thoroughfare that connects the state of Western Australia up north to the Northern Territory.”
Heavy rains expected on the east coast
The extreme rainfall is a result of tropical cyclone Ellie, which made landfall two weeks ago, meteorologists said. The storm had been slowly leaving Western Australia since last week. Now she’s heading for Queensland on the east coast. Heavy rains are also expected there, meteorologists have warned.
It is now summer in Australia. Forecasters had recently warned of heat in several regions, including possible bushfires in the state of Victoria or the Northern Territory.
