In the flood regions on the east coast of Australia, meteorologists are warning of new storms with heavy rainfall. The storm area stretched 3,500 kilometers from northern Queensland to the southeastern state of Victoria, satellite images showed. The weather service issued severe weather warnings and emphasized that there was a risk of new flash floods.

Evacuation orders were in place in the Murray River towns of Echuca and Moama. "If you live, work or vacation in this area, you should get to safety immediately," the emergency services tweeted.

Have thousands of animals drowned?

More and more animals are also affected by the floods. Rescuers recently rescued a wallaby fighting for its life in the fast-flowing Murray River. Animal rights activists fear thousands of animals may have drowned, broadcaster 9News reported. Numerous rescuers took care of "scared, wet and exhausted" animals fleeing the flood.

Australia's east coast has been hit by exceptionally heavy rain and devastating floods several times this year. Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers warned that food prices are likely to rise sharply because of the devastated crops.

A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from February 2022 assumes that the country will be hit by devastating natural events even more frequently in the future. Stronger heat, more dangerous fires, more droughts and floods, higher sea levels and drier winters are to be expected.