Australia floods: Three states issue evacuation orders after heavy rain

 Australia floods: Three states issue evacuation orders after heavy rain

Communities in three Australian states have been ordered to evacuate as torrential rains cause major flooding.

Some parts of the country have more than tripled the average October rainfall in just 24 hours.

At least 500 houses have been flooded, with one person dead and another missing as the disaster unfolds.

Widespread flooding across Australia - driven by La Nia weather patterns - has killed more than 20 people this year.

Victoria - Australia's second most populous state - has been worst affected this week. Several communities have been ordered to evacuate, including some in the state capital Melbourne.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the number of flooded homes was "definite to rise", calling it one of the state's worst flooding events in decades.

"It has just begun, and it will be with us for some time," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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The floods have gutted roads, closed schools and cut power to 3,000 homes and businesses.

More rain is forecast in the coming weeks, putting pressure on already overflowing rivers and saturated land.

The city of Seymour, north of Melbourne, has received 155 mm in 24 hours - three times the average October rainfall, or about a quarter of the average amount London receives in a year.

In Tasmania, several rivers have been flooded after some areas received up to 400 mm of rain in one day. It is not clear how many homes and businesses have been affected there.

In New South Wales, Forbes was asked to evacuate about 600 people from the city, where about 250 properties and businesses were feared to be flooded.

Earlier this week a man was killed in the west of the state after his car was submerged in flood waters.

Rescuers are also searching for a 63-year-old man who was washed away in similar circumstances on Tuesday.

Experts say the recent floods in Australia have been worsened by climate change and the phenomenon of La Nia weather. In Australia, La Nia increases the likelihood of rain, cyclones and cooler day temperatures