New South Wales floods: PM Morrison may declare ‘national emergency’

Highlights

• PM Scott Morrison is expected to declare a floods “national emergency”.
• It will be the first such emergency announcement since December 2020, when laws were passed.
• As floods batter eastern Australia, tens of thousands of Sydney residents have been urged to flee their homes.

PM Scott Morrison is expected to declare a floods “national emergency” on Wednesday (March 9) after visiting Lismore. The prime minister may also announce extra funds for disaster zones up and down the east coast after his visit.

It will be the first such emergency announcement since December 2020, when laws were passed.

The emergency declaration will allow the federal government more authority to send in military assets and avoid administrative "red tape" to provide financial assistance to the flood-affected people in New South Wales.

Sydney floods intensify, wreak havoc in the state

The amount of funding has not yet been determined, but it was approved by the federal government's expenditure review committee yesterday. Senior government officials, including the Treasurer, have already put the cost of recovery in the billions. Thousands of people have been forced to abandon their homes in Sydney due to the devastating floods.

Also Read: Westpac (ASX:WBC) launches AU$2M fund for small flood-hit businesses

Flood updates

Source: © Kestrelweb | Megapixl.com

As floods batter eastern Australia, tens of thousands of Sydney residents have been urged to flee their homes.

Heavy rains have pounded New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland over the last fortnight, causing floods and killing 20 people.

The danger has now escalated in Sydney, which has been ravaged by flash floods.

Over a week, a wild weather system that dumped more than a year's worth of rain on southern Queensland and northern New South Wales (NSW) caused widespread devastation, displacing thousands of people and destroying livestock, homes, and roadways.

According to the NSW Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), a new weather system might bring more heavy rainfall, increasing the risk of floods.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said a dam in the Manly suburb had started to burst, and a flooded river in the city's southwest was threatening life.

There was also a "serious calamity" in the state's north, with over 800 people being placed in temporary housing. According to the State Emergency Service, over 2,500 people have needed assistance in the last 24 hours. Soldiers from the Australian Defence Force have also been deployed.

Also Read: Here’s how to keep yourself safe during a flood