Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Visits Victoria

  • 13 years ago
For more news visit ☛http://english.ntdtv.com

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visits an evacuation center as floods continue in the state of Victoria. Four major rivers in Victoria are close to flooding, affecting dozens of towns in the state.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited flood evacuees on Monday as rising waters threatened the town of Horsham in the southern state of Victoria.

Flood waters are expected to peak at around noon local time and over 100 homes in the town of seven thousand residents could be affected.

Meanwhile in the city of Echuca, the Campaspe River reached a record level of 31 feet on Sunday, affecting 80 homes.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited residents in the city who were staying in evacuation centers waiting to return home.

[Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister]:
"Quite a number of them indicated to me that they thought their wishes are really with Queensland, even as they're managing their own personal circumstances wondering what's happened to their own home, their best wishes and thoughts are with the people of Queensland, so that's a lovely spirit."

Four major rivers in Victoria were in full flood level, affecting 46 towns, 3,500 people and 1,600 properties.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, nearly eight inches of rain have fallen in some parts of the state over five days.

Flooding has hit four Australian states since December. The death toll from Queensland, stands at 24, and is expected to rise.

Floods have been blamed on the strongest ever-recorded La Nina weather phenomenon in the Pacific.

Recommended