Four dead in Australia as storms spark major flooding

TORRENTIAL rains have left thousands of homes flooded in eastern Australia, with more rain and high winds expected today in both Queensland and New South Wales.

The disaster has claimed four lives, including that of a three-year-old boy who was yesterday hit by a falling tree in the Queensland capital, Brisbane. State emergency services deputy commissioner Steve Pearce said that some areas in northern New South Wales had been hit by more than 20 inches of rain, with more than 2,000 people isolated by floodwaters.

“We’re expecting flash flooding, we’re expecting trees to be brought down, wires to be brought down by these winds,” he said. “We’re expecting a very challenging 24 hours.”

Floodwaters have also cut off all roads between New South Wales and Queensland.

More than 2,000 homes are underwater in the worst affected city of Bundaberg, 240 miles north of Brisbane on the coast.