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by IANS |
Sydney, March 12 (IANS) Rescue workers and communities in Australia have come together to save people from rooftops of submerged houses or from stranded cars as record-breaking storms and floods have lashed the eastern region of the country.
Despite tireless efforts, tens of thousands of residents have been displaced, homes destroyed, roads and bridges collapsed, and more than 20 people have perished in the surging waters with more missing, reports Xinhua news agency.
The deluges, described as a "one-in-a-1,000-year" event, have lashed large parts of the states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW).
Since the disaster began, 49-year-old Col Britton, a volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and otherwise full-time teacher, like many others, has taken time off work and risked his safety to protect and support his community in Hawkesbury region northwest of Sydney.
"Just neighbours helping out neighbours, is pretty standard in most places. We've got people constantly dropping in to see if they can help in any way or dropping off food supplies or things like that, so it's all been pretty busy," Britton told Xinhua.
Britton has mainly been involved in boat rescues and supply drop-offs to people who have had their homes surrounded by flood waters and in many cases have had their electricity cut off.
He also noted that unlike in previous floods which last days rather than weeks, people are beginning to run out of supplies.
As of Friday, NSW SES has issued more than 60 evacuation orders, many of them for communities along the Hawkesbury River due to its abundance of waterways and low-lying basins and valleys.
Mel Steer, one such resident forced to evacuate, has been left exhausted, devastated and ready to move.
"Last year we were promised we would never see a flood like we had, and here we are 12 months later. So, there is just an ultimate feeling of disappointment in the community," Steer told local broadcaster ABC News.
Steer and her partner were among thousands of residents who have been displaced in recent weeks.
Despite evacuation orders many residents have refused to leave their homes, which Britton described as a major challenge as a rescue worker.
