Faced with the possibility of a new flood to the north of the affected city, local authorities urged more than 85,000 people living in risk areas to evacuate or be ready to leave their homes if the situation worsens.

As a result of the heavy rains that have hit New South Wales since the weekend, the rivers overflowed and large residential areas of Sydney, its capital, have transformed into lakes, according to local television stations.

Even with the decrease in rainfall, the danger of flooding persists in urban areas because the water level of the 120-kilometer Hawkesbury River remains above 12 meters, considerably higher than usual, the emergency service detailed.

The day before, the government declared Sydney in a state of natural disaster as a result of the incalculable damage caused by the weather event.

So far, the death of one person has been verified, in addition to hundreds rescued from flooded places and thousands in evacuation centers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is facing harsh criticism for extending his international tour amid the climate emergency in the country, visited the affected areas and promised to seek long-term solutions to reduce the damage caused by this kind of contingencies.

Albanese acknowledged that climate change will make such events more frequent and intense in Australia.

pgh/llp/oda/lrd