flash floods

Floods hamper Covid-19 response in Fiji

Fijians woke today to the lifting of a snap-lockdown imposed since Saturday in Suva and surrounding towns after dozens of community cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the community.

While there were no new cases of the virus overnight, the Health Ministry is urging the public to not let their guard down.

Health Secretary Dr James Fong said since 4am local time, the Suva-Nausori lockdown zone will revert into two separate containment areas.

He said this meant that within these containment areas, only movement for essential purposes may resume.

Flash floods in Greece kill 14

The industrial towns of Mandra, Nea Peramos and Megara, west of the capital Athens, were the most affected.

Many of the dead were elderly people whose bodies were found inside their homes, reports say. Fast-flowing torrents of red mud flooded roads.

"Everything is lost. The disaster is biblical," Mandra Mayor Yianna Krikouki told state broadcaster ERT.

At least 13 people have been taken to hospital, and some are still missing.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has expressed his condolences.

Heavy rain has hit parts of Greece for about a week.

 

Flash flooding hits Sydney

The Bureau of Meteorology said some areas recorded as much as 49 millimetres in an hour.

RNZ reports the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said a building with 100 people inside was threatening to collapse in the western suburb of Marrickville, after the morning of heavy rain.

SES crews were en route to the site.

Emergency services were also called to about 13 flood-related rescues.

SES spokeswoman Becky Gollings said the rescued people were caught by surprise but were now safe.