Tag Archives: oceania

Multiple states being battered by rain

While there are currently a number of emergency and weather warnings in place across Queensland, Victoria and NSW, it's not just the east coast seeing rainfall this weekend.

A series of low pressure systems are wreaking havoc across Australia, delivering rain in the Top End as well as storms and showers in the south-west of the country.

According to Weatherzone, it's the moisture from the tropics that will feed down to southwest WA, bringing smaller totals than those on the east coast but significant none-the-less.

READ MORE: Echuca braces for Murray River peak after levels hit highest in 100 years

Rain radar map Weatherzone Saturday October 22

"While not getting into the crazy three digits like southeast Queensland and northeast NSW, rainfall totals of 10-30mm are forecast for the area – bringing cities and towns closer to their October rainfall averages," they said, adding that cloud cover will also drop temperatures across the area.

"Perth for example, is currently sitting at 16.2mm for the month, however averages 40.1mm for October."

READ MORE: Queensland on alert for 'life-threatening' floods as heavy rain hits

However, this systems is then set to move across the country and "will generate widespread showers and storms across eastern Australia later in the week".

And before that downpour hits, another deluge is on the way today – with totals of up to 300mm forecast in parts of Queensland.

Weatherzone forecast map for Monday 10:00pm AEDT

"Sunday and Monday will all see widespread rain continue over southeast Australia, including all of Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and much of southeast Queensland," Weatherzone say.

"Rain will be heaviest over near-coastal southeast Queensland and northeast NSW where 300mm is a decent chance between Saturday and Sunday.

READ MORE: Lismore residents prepare for possible third flood event of the year

"Elsewhere, accumulated totals of 40-90mm are expected in a swathe hugging the Great Dividing Range from the Darling Downs to Melbourne. Some alpine areas will likely see 100-150mm.

Storms will cause isolated heavier totals, particularly on Monday to Tuesday over NSW and Queensland.

Beaches on the Gold Coast were shut on Saturday and more closures are expected on Sunday as winds whip up hazardous surf

"We could actually see what we call 'intense rainfall' that can lead to really dangerous, life-threatening flash flooding, particularly with how wet the ground is at the moment and how full the drains are," Bureau of Meteorology's Christine Johnson told 9News.

Residents in Brisbane have begun sandbagging homes, while beaches on the Gold Coast were closed as the current weather warning extends from Bundaberg to Coolangatta.

There are already multiple evacuation orders for NSW and Victoria as floodwaters rise, with residents in Echuca anxiously waiting for the Murray River to peak today with levels already at a 100-year high.

Residents in Echuca are bracing for the Murray River to peak on Sunday, rising at least another half a metre.

While the east coast of Australia has so far felt the brunt of this latest weather system, South Australia has also been impacted.

A person was struck by lightning in the Riverland on Saturday night after a storm passed over the region.

Emergency services were called to Morgan, about 161 kilometres north-east of Adelaide with no further details on the person or their condition immediately available.

https://twitter.com/9NewsAdel/status/1583728860948226049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

As the wild weather continues across the country, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government is "ready to support those Australians who are suffering the most".

"I do say to Australians in these areas – please follow the advice," Albanese said.

"If you are asked to evacuate, please do so.

"Do not drive through flood waters. It is dangerous. You do not know what is below what you can't see.

"I ask people to continue to take the advice of the experts and to please stay safe."

Residents are advised to keep across BoM's warnings as the system bears down. Queensland warnings can be viewed here, NSW here, Victoria here, Tasmania here and Western Australia here. 

Toddler 'bruised but okay' after car smashed into daycare centre

The grandfather of an 11-month-old injured after a car slammed into a family daycare office in Melbourne's north, says she's bruised but okay.

Mohammed Ayad told 9News while the family are shaken up by the incident at Bright Beginnings Centre in Broadmeadows, they are counting their lucky stars no-one was more seriously hurt.

Bruises cover the body of baby Hanan with the 11-month old nursing a purple patch the size of a golf ball, her lips swollen and sore.

READ MORE: Mother-of-five killed in suspected hit-and-run

Mohammed Ayad told 9News while the family are shaken up by the incident at Bright Beginnings Centre in Broadmeadows, they are counting their lucky stars no-one was more seriously hurtBruises cover the body of baby Hanan with the 11-month old nursing a purple patch the size of a golf ball, her lips swollen and sore.

"She's shaken up but also the soreness that comes with it but overall she's doing quite well, she's a tough young little girl," Ayad told 9News.

Vision captured the terrifying moment a car ploughed through the front glass window of the Broadmeadows Family Day Care office on Friday.

READ MORE: South East Queenslanders brace for heavy weekend rainfall

Police said the driver may have been trying to park the car when she accidentally hit the accelerator.

Vision captured the terrifying moment a car ploughed through the front glass window of the Broadmeadows Family Day Care office on Friday.Vision captured the terrifying moment a car ploughed through the front glass window of the Broadmeadows Family Day Care office on Friday.

"It's a shock, it's a disaster, it's something you aren't prepared for, it just happens," Ayad said.

"The key question that was on mind, are they safe? Are they alive? And the answer was thank God they are."

But it could have been so much worse.

A staff member in the office was also struck and miraculously appears from the rubble, moving a broken door to escape.

The grandfather of an 11-month-old injured after a car slammed into a family daycare office in Melbourne's north, says she's bruised but okay. Ayad says there is tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to his business but the more important thing is no-one was hurt.

Two other employees were running late but had they arrived on time, they too would have been in the path of the car.

Ayad says there is tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to his business but the more important thing is no-one was hurt.

Bright Beginnings Centre is hoping to reopen their doors in a matter of weeks.

China's Communist Party amends charter as its congress ends

China’s ruling Communist Party approved an amendment of the party constitution Saturday that could further enhance Xi Jinping’s stature as China's leader.

The expected move came at the closing session of a weeklong party congress that set the national agenda for the coming five years.

The text of the amendment was not immediately released, but before its approval an announcer read out the reasoning behind it, repeatedly mentioning Xi and his accomplishments in strengthening the military and the economy and reinforcing the party’s authority.

READ MORE: South East Queenslanders brace for heavy weekend rainfall

Xi, in brief closing remarks, said the revision “sets out clear requirements for upholding and strengthening the party's overall leadership".

At the previous congress in 2017, the party elevated Xi's status by enshrining his ideas – known as “Xi Jinping Thought” – in its charter.

The roughly 2000 delegates, wearing blue surgical masks under China's strict zero-COVID policy, also formally elected a new Central Committee of 205 members to govern the party for the next five years, state media said.

Xi is expected to retain the top spot when the new leadership of the party is unveiled Sunday.

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Foreign media were not allowed into the first part of the meeting, presumably when the voting was taking place, at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

Police were stationed along major roads, with bright red-clad neighbourhood watch workers at regular intervals in between to keep an eye out for any potential disruptions.

An individual caught authorities by surprise last week by unfurling banners from an overpass in Beijing that called for Xi's removal and attacked his government's tough pandemic restrictions.

READ MORE: Why some Aussies are choosing a life at sea

A report read by Xi at the opening session of the congress a week ago showed a determination to stay on the current path in the face of domestic and international challenges.

Xi has emerged during his first decade in power as one of China's most powerful leaders in modern times, rivalling Mao Zedong, who founded the communist state in 1949 and led the country for a quarter-century.

An expected third five-year term as party leader would break an unofficial two-term limit that was instituted to try to prevent the excesses of Mao's one-person rule, notably the tumultuous 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, under which Xi suffered as a youth.

READ MORE: Record flood warnings across three states

Xi has put loyalists in key positions and taken personal charge of policy working groups.

In contrast, factions within the party discussed ideas internally under his two immediate predecessors, Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, said Ho-fung Hung, a professor of political economy at Johns Hopkins University.

“Right now, you don’t really see a lot of internal party debates about these different policies and there is only one voice there,” he said.

Australia and Japan sign 'landmark' security agreement

Australia and Japan have signed a bolstered security agreement, sending a "strong signal" to the region of the nations' strategic alignment.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Perth, where the two signed a joint declaration on security cooperation.

"Our commitment to consult each other on contingencies is a natural step in our efforts to support the security and stability of our region," Albanese said, announcing the landmark declaration.

READ MORE: China headhunting Aussie military pilots

Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"It shows the responsibility we share for security in our region and towards one another."

The declaration renews a 2007 commitment to closer defence and security cooperation.

"Our affinity is in our common desire for a peaceful, prosperous and secure Indo Pacific," Albanese said. 

Kishida says Japan and Australia's shared "fundamental values and strategic interest have come under the increasingly harsh strategic environment".

"We have developed a framework of cooperation, logistical support and operation and have expanded our security and defence cooperation," he said.

"This renewed declaration, based on the above-mentioned firm foundation, will charge the direction of our security and defence cooperation in the next 10 years."

READ MORE: Xi still prepared to use force to achieve Taiwan 'reunification'

Malcolm Davis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the commitment marked "a step up in the relationship" when "both Japan and Australia are facing a serious challenge from China".

The two leaders also signed a critical minerals partnership to help build secure supply chains.