Fresh Deluge Worsens ‘One In 100 Year' Australia Floods

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) - Torrential rain-lashed Australia’s southeast again Monday, worsening once-in-a-century flooding that has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and shuttered hundreds of schools.

The days-long deluge has inundated coastal areas of New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, with parts of Sydney experiencing what officials predicted would be the biggest flood in decades.

On Monday, eight million residents were told to avoid unnecessary travel and work from home if possible, as some hard-hit areas received 25 centimeters (10 inches) of rain in 24 hours.

Just over a year ago, the region was parched: suffering prolonged drought, water restrictions, and unprecedented bushfires.

Scientists have warned Australia can expect to see more frequent and more extreme weather events as a result of climate change.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said about 18,000 people have been ordered to evacuate and 38 regions have been declared disaster zones.