Sydney area hit by flooding

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SYDNEY, March 2 (UPI) -- Flooding continued Saturday in the Sydney area as heavy rain persisted in parts of southeast Australia.

Forster and Turncurry, twin towns about 200 miles north of Sydney, were cut off by high water, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. In Sydney itself, a few people were evacuated because of flood risk and two drivers had to be rescued when their cars became stuck on flooded roads.

Phil Campbell, a spokesman for the State Emergency Service, said about 1,000 calls from people seeking assistance came in in a 24-hour period.

At least one person has been killed. Luke O'Neill, 17, of Bonny Hill was sucked into a drain last weekend.

Eastern Australia endured a bad bushfire season. The week of bad weather kicked off with tornadoes in Kiama, 70 miles south of Sydney.

"It has been a very busy week for the SES," Campbell said.