Published 18:20 IST, January 18th 2020
Australia: Flash floods cause road closures as storms hit bushfire affected regions
Flash floods in Australia caused by severe storms result in road closures and power outages in Victoria and New South Wales. Warnings have been issued.
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Severe storms have hit some parts of Australia's east coast on Saturday. While the storms doused some of the bushfires that had ravaged the region, the storms have also caused road closures and flash flooding in some areas. But despite the heavy rains in some regions, authorities are reportedly fighting 100 blazes.
Flash floods after devastating fires
The Australian Bushfires since September have reportedly killed 29 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and scorched large swathes of land. But now Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are now dealing with rain that has been falling non-stop in some areas.
The severe rains have caused major highways in Queensland to close down while New South Wales has been experiencing power cuts. According to the Bureau of Meteorology in Queensland, while the heavy rainfall has somewhat subsided, the showers and thunderstorms will persist through the weekend.
100+ mm of rain for many locations across #SEQld overnight/early this morning. Heavy, intense rainfall has eased, but showers and thunderstorms still possible through the weekend. Take care on the roads - if it's flooded, forget it.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 18, 2020
Rainfall observations: https://t.co/aiVXf9eg8r pic.twitter.com/0BoIkXuALU
Severe storms with heavy rainfall possible in #SEQld today & tonight. However, rainfall rates are not expected to reach those experienced around the Gold Coast earlier this morning. Severe storms likely over Cape York Peninsula. Warnings issued as needed: https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o pic.twitter.com/h9hXRrsMQJ
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 18, 2020
Warning UPDATED to include severe storms over the northern Gulf Country. Damaging winds and heavy rainfall are a risk with storms in the warning area. Warning details: https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o pic.twitter.com/lN6fUxrxm3
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 18, 2020
The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued relevant warnings for the area that are expected to encounter rain and thunderstorms. The NSW fire service stated that the showers would help contain the bushfires that are still burning but they added that there are some fires and foregrounds that have not seen any rain. Even with flash floods in some areas, the bushfire crisis has not been resolved. On Saturday itself emergency services in Victoria announced evacuation order to French Island due to bushfires, the island only has a population of about 100 people.
18:20 IST, January 18th 2020