Significant flood alert declared for the Australian island state of Tasmania
Residents of the Australian island state of Tasmania have received warnings to get ready for evacuation from their homes and businesses due to heavy rainfall and severe winds.
TroibNews 
Residents of Tasmania, an island state of Australia, have been advised to prepare for possible evacuations from their homes and businesses as heavy rainfall and severe winds hit the region.
On Sunday, authorities issued a major flood warning for New Norfolk, located along the River Derwent in the southeastern part of the state, urging local residents to get ready to leave.
Mick Lowe, executive director of the Tasmanian State Emergency Service, warned that properties could face inundation, major roads may become impassable due to flooding, and some towns in the vicinity might be cut off for several days.
The strong winds and fallen trees have led to widespread power outages, affecting around 32,000 properties as of 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday.
Australia's largest telecommunications provider, Telstra, indicated that 38 network sites in Tasmania were without power, leading to disruptions in mobile services.
Residents in the Huon Valley, situated on the south coast, were asked to conserve water on Sunday due to the impact of power outages on a major water treatment plant.
The state has been battered by winds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour along with heavy rainfall, making it the smallest of Australia’s six states both in population and area.
Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, informed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that winds recorded on Saturday night in southern Tasmania matched the strength of a category-3 tropical cyclone.
She mentioned that the River Derwent is projected to reach major flood levels by Sunday evening.
Due to the inclement weather, the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service connecting the island to Victoria on the Australian mainland canceled a trip on Saturday night because of the extreme winds.
As of Sunday morning, Hobart Airport, the main airport in Tasmania and its capital, was still operating flights, and no disruptions were anticipated there.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Sunday, authorities issued a major flood warning for New Norfolk, located along the River Derwent in the southeastern part of the state, urging local residents to get ready to leave.
Mick Lowe, executive director of the Tasmanian State Emergency Service, warned that properties could face inundation, major roads may become impassable due to flooding, and some towns in the vicinity might be cut off for several days.
The strong winds and fallen trees have led to widespread power outages, affecting around 32,000 properties as of 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday.
Australia's largest telecommunications provider, Telstra, indicated that 38 network sites in Tasmania were without power, leading to disruptions in mobile services.
Residents in the Huon Valley, situated on the south coast, were asked to conserve water on Sunday due to the impact of power outages on a major water treatment plant.
The state has been battered by winds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour along with heavy rainfall, making it the smallest of Australia’s six states both in population and area.
Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, informed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that winds recorded on Saturday night in southern Tasmania matched the strength of a category-3 tropical cyclone.
She mentioned that the River Derwent is projected to reach major flood levels by Sunday evening.
Due to the inclement weather, the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service connecting the island to Victoria on the Australian mainland canceled a trip on Saturday night because of the extreme winds.
As of Sunday morning, Hobart Airport, the main airport in Tasmania and its capital, was still operating flights, and no disruptions were anticipated there.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
