Heavy rains and flooding leave thousands without power in southeastern Australia
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Heavy rains in southeastern Australia left thousands of homes without power and emergency services conducted multiple flood-related rescues across the region on Thursday.
Threat level: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Jonathan How warned more heavy rainfall that could lead to "life-threatening flash-flooding" was "on the way" as evacuations orders and warnings were issued across Victoria, New South Wales and the island state of Tasmania.
- Victoria's State Emergency Service said it had responded to 30 flood-related rescues, and schools were closed across the state.
- Rescues also took place in Tasmania.
The big picture: At least 20 people have died in Australia this year due to widespread flooding that climate scientists say have been driven by climate change and La Niña conditions present for a third-straight year in the Pacific.
Go deeper: Global warming drives Sydney to wettest year on record
