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Australia's most populous state hit by severe rains, floods

Associated Press

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A truck drives through a flooded road at Old Pitt Town north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A man films a flooded field at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Vehicles are blocked by a flooded river at Old Pitt Town north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A horse stands in a paddock near floods at Old Pitt Town north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A vehicle is diverted as a road is closed due to flooding on the outskirts of Port Stephens, 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Residents across the state of New South Wales have been warned to prepare for possible evacuations, as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state's flood crisis would continue for several more days. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Two women embrace as they stand on a flooded road at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A boat is loaded back onto its trailer on a flooded road at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A motorcyclist progress is blocked by a flooded road at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Locals Greg and Kim Spice stand at the edge of a flooded road at Old Pitt Town north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A car drives through a flooded road at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A truck drives through a flooded road at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A flooded field is submerged at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A car is blocked by a flooded river at Old Pitt Town, north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

A truck drives through a flooded road at Old Pitt Town north west of Sydney, Australia, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

SYDNEY – Australia's most populous state of New South Wales on Sunday issued more evacuation orders following the worst flooding in decades.

The New South Wales State Emergency Services responded to 640 calls for help on Saturday night, including 66 for flood rescues.

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New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said that hundreds of people have been rescued from the waters.

Evacuation orders have been issued at multiple locations on the Mid North Coast in the northeast of the state, which Berejiklian said was experiencing a one-in-a-100-year event, and “whilst we don’t think things will worsen on the Mid North Coast, definitely conditions will continue, so the rainfall will continue across the parts that have already been affected.”

Berejiklian also said that parts of Western Sydney are being hit by a one-in-50-year weather event, with some locations recorded more than 300 milimeters (11.8 inches) of rain since Friday morning, breaking records.

The Warragamba dam, west of Sydney, started overflowing on Sunday and so far, 13 evacuation centers have been opened across the state. More evacuations are expected as the bad weather is forecast to last into the middle of the week.

Local authorities are urging people not to drive through flooded areas as they could get easily swept away by the strong currents.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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