Australian states issue evacuation orders after flooding

Major flooding following torrential rain has led to evacuation orders being issued across three Australian states. 

Parts of Australia have received up to four times their average October rainfall in just 24 hours. 

So far, at least 500 homes have been flooded, one person has died and another is missing amid the widespread flooding.

Victoria state has been the worst hit this week, with several communities ordered to evacuate, roads swamped, schools closed and power cuts for homes and businesses. 

Premier Daniel Andrews said the number of inundated homes was “absolutely certain to grow”, calling it one of the state’s worst flood events in decades.

“This has only just started, and it’s going to be with us for a while,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.