Charles sends message of sympathy to Australian people following floods

© Thomson Reuters FILE – Britain’s Prince Charles meets speaks as he visits Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) church to learn more about its work to support refugees and asylum seekers at St Luke’s Church, in London, Britain, March 9, 2022. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERSIn a message to the Commonwealth nation, the prince said: “It is with the greatest sadness that once again my wife and I express our distress, as well as immense concern and sympathy, following the tragic deaths and devastation caused by widespread flooding in Queensland and New South Wales.

“Having visited many of the affected areas over the years, I am deeply shocked by the extent of this flooding across rural areas, as well as in major cities such as Brisbane and Sydney.”

Charles went on to say: “From the other side of the world we witnessed the valiant efforts of volunteers in small boats rescuing trapped neighbours and strangers alike.

“We saw interviews with people who, having rebuilt their homes and lives following previous floods, know they must go through the painful process of rebuilding again.”

© Provided by Evening Standard Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison gestures during a press conference in Lismore, Australia, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Morrison declared a national emergency following floods across large swathes of the east coast. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)He also said he had “…admiration for the selfless role played by all those involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, including those now delivering food, water and fuel to people and communities isolated by these floods”.

Extraordinarily heavy rains have created the current emergency in New South Wales and Queensland states, where some of the flooded communities were battling fires two years ago.

© Provided by Evening Standard In this photo provided by Australian Department of Defense , an Australian army soldier assists with the flood clean-up efforts in Gatton, Queensland, Sunday, March 6, 2022. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared a national emergency Wednesday, March 9, following floods across large swathes of the east coast. (PTE Hamid Farahani/Australian Department of Defense via AP)Mr Morrison’s announcement, made earlier this week, will mean flood victims will not have to provide identification documents to receive support payments and in some circumstances the federal government can act independently in areas where the state governments have not requested help.

Floodwaters peaked in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland and Australia’s third-most populous city, on February 28 after it was inundated by 80% of its usual annual rainfall in three days.

More than 20,000 homes and businesses were flooded in south-east Queensland and Sydney, the capital of New South Wales and Australia’s biggest city with a population of five million, has endured the wettest start to a year ever recorded.

Parts of the city 450 miles south of Brisbane were flooded after receiving almost 75% of its average annual rainfall since January 1.

The worst-hit communities were in the Lismore, Clarence Valley and Richmond Valley local government areas of northern New South Wales.

Some communities endured the highest floods ever recorded in their locations.

Charles sends message of sympathy to Australian people following floods (msn.com)