4 years ago
Wild weather is battering a 1,000km stretch of Australia's east coast, bringing torrential rain and "abnormally high" tides to cities including Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Almost 2,000 homes in the cities faced power cuts on Monday after strong winds tampered with power lines. Tides up to 8meters high were recorded, eroding shorelines in few areas.
Emergency services informed that they got over 700 calls for help since Sunday. About half a dozen people stranded in floodwaters had been rescued, they added.
Meteorologists have warned that this Australian summer will see the impacts of a La Niña weather pattern, which typically brings more rainfall and tropical cyclones.
The current wild weather has hit popular holiday spots such as the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast in Queensland, and Byron Bay in New South Wales (NSW). Most of the beaches were closed for precaution.
On Monday, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (Bom) issued severe weather warnings for a vast coastal area stretching from Hervey Bay in Queensland to Taree in New South Wales.
In eastern Australia, the average December-March rainfall during a La Niña year is around 20% higher than the long-term average, says the Bom.
