Major flooding disaster hits Australia

Heavy flooding along Australia's eastern coast have killed four people and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes across two Australian states on Tuesday, January 29. This led the country's insurers to declare a "catastrophic event" Tuesday as days of torrential rain accompanied by tornadoes added to the strain on the nation's economy. Storms were triggered by ex-tropical cyclone Oswald and heavy rains have brought flooding to the states of Queensland and New South Wales. Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate as wild weather cut power supplies to about 165,000 residents. An armada of military and civilian helicopters raced time and tide last night to save up to 1500 people caught in Bundaberg by the Burnett River, one of dozens now in fierce flood across central and southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. This is the second major flooding disaster to hit Australia in two recent years. Follow me on Opera for more updates on the flood.