Australians flee homes coz of floods

03.03.2012

Some 1,600 Australians were forced on Friday from their homes due to floods as the torrents hit or threatened large parts of the most populous state of New South Wales.
Meanwhile, 22 people were rescued from rising waters.
Sydney has experienced one of its wettest summers in decades and the rain has continued to fall at the start of autumn, leaving the city's biggest dam Warragamba set to overflow and vast areas of the state drenched.
Among the worst affected areas is the town of Goulburn, close to the national capital Canberra, which despite being at risk of having no drinking water just six years ago, is now experiencing flooding.
Rains eased overnight but a severe weather warning remains in place for much of the state and the Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms could produce more flooding in the next 24 hours.