Heavy rains hit southeastern Australia Thursday, causing flash floods and forcing officials to issue new evacuation orders, while 50,000 residents were warned to prepare for isolation as more rain is expected over the next 24 hours.Australian authorities announced that the storms which swept through New South Wales state have dumped more than four months of rain in just two days, submerging entire areas in muddy water and disrupting rescue and evacuation operations.Police found the body of a 63-year-old man inside a flooded house in the rural village of Motu, about 400 kilometers northeast of Sydney.Local media reported that many residents were forced to spend the night on their roofs awaiting rescue teams.Climate experts have warned that these extreme weather events, including floods and heat waves, are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change and rising global temperatures.
