Australia to declare east coast floods a national emergency

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister says he will declare a national emergency following floods across large swathes of the east coast that have claimed 22 lives. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement Wednesday during a visit to flood-devastated Lismore in northern New South Wales state, where four people died last week. The national emergency declaration, Morrison said in a statement, will “ensure all our emergency powers are available and that we cut through any red tape we might face in delivering services and support on the ground.” It is the first such declaration since a law was passed in December 2020 in response to catastrophic wildfires during the previous Southern Hemisphere summer.