Severe Flooding hits New South Wales

Parts of Australia have been hit by the worst flooding that the country has seen in a century.

For days now New South Wales has been seeing heavy rain.

The heavy rain has caused water levels to rise and dam levels to surge. Several homes have been flooded. Roads have become submerged.

About 1,000 people have been advised to flee their homes. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that emergency funds will be offered to those who have been forced from their homes.

The NSW Government has issued 34 Natural Disaster Declarations. Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said although the disaster is still underway, the NSW Government is already looking ahead to the recovery and ongoing assistance.

Funding packages from the NSW Government are now available. The additional funding will provide assistance for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged, support for affected local councils to help the costs of cleaning up and restoring the damaged public property, concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and not-for-profit organizations, freight subsidies for primary producers, and grants to eligible not-for-profit organizations.

Over the next few days, more heavy rain and strong wind are expected. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology says that "Aafresh influx of tropical moisture will reinvigorate the rainfall occurring over eastern NSW, while also broadening the flood threat area over northern and western NSW. Some of these western areas may see up to a month's worth of rainfall falling in just 48 hours."