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Dozens of towns isolated by rising flood waters in Australia, thousands forced to evacuate

APTOPIX Australia Floods
APTOPIX Australia Floods
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Hundreds of people have been rescued from floodwaters that have isolated dozens of towns in Australia’s most populous state New South Wales and forced thousands to evacuate their homes as record rain continues.

Around 18,000 people had been evacuated from flooding in New South Wales and emergency services feared up to 54,000 people could be displaced.

Rain is forecast to continue until Wednesday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Parliament that 35 communities in northern New South Wales had been isolated and emergency services had conducted more than 700 flood rescues.