1 Mar 2012

Floods force evacuations in Australia

7:05 pm on 1 March 2012

Heavy rain continues to batter parts of Australia, forcing evacuations in New South Wales and Victoria.

Authorities are keeping a close watch on swollen rivers.

The widespread flooding has forced evacuations across large parts of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, northern Victoria and even Central Australia.

About 75% of New South Wales is flooded or under threat, while Canberra has already received its entire average March rainfall.

New South Wales state emergency services are preparing for more rain over the next three days with up to 300mm expected to fall in some areas.

In the New South Wales city of Goulburn, residents of about 200 homes have been told to evacuate.

The SES has responded to more than 740 calls for help in New South Wales as a large, slow-moving trough sets in for the next few days.

People have also been evacuated from Cooma and Cowra.