LISMORE, NSW (CU)_As heavy rain and gale force winds show no sign of easing in Sydney, the people of Lismore and northern NSW continue major clean-up efforts, after the area was rocked by two devastating floods in a month. The destructive weather claimed the lives of over 20 people, while hundreds of homes were destroyed, forcing thousands to evacuate. According to Northern NSW Recovery Coordinator Mal Lanyon, many business owners just finished cleaning up and had begun trading when the second flood swept, as he warned that it will take “months and years” for the local community to bounce back from the environmental catastrophe.
Against this backdrop, the Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley, received a message of condolence from Queen Elizabeth, who said she was “saddened” to hear of the scale of devastation in Queensland and New South Wales. “I have been following the news of the recent floods in Queensland and New South Wales closely and have been saddened to hear of the loss of life and the scale of devastation,” Her Majesty said in the statement.
She went on to praise the “resolute spirit and community mindedness” of Australians in their immediate response to the devastating floods, while she expressed her gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who “tirelessly assisted those in need”. “My thoughts continue to be with those who have been impacted as the focus now turns to the long recovery phase ahead,” the monarch added.
The Queen’s condolences come amid flood warnings issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for Hawkesbury-Nepean and other coastal catchments, where rainfall between 50 and 150mm is expected on Thursday (7 April), and 50-100mm on Friday. “Moderate rainfall is expected in north-eastern New South Wales on Thursday and Friday,” the BOM said in a statement, adding that communities should continue to monitor the Bureau’s website and its Weather app for forecasts and warnings. “There is an increased risk of flash flooding and landslides as catchments are saturated,” the agency noted.
