Heavy rains in Australia's east bring worst floods in 50 years

A still image taken from video shows a flooded area following heavy rains in Edmondson Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia March 20, 2021. NSW State Emergency Service/via REUTERS

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Heavy rains along Australia's east coast over the weekend have brought the worst flooding in half a century in some areas, authorities said on Sunday, forcing thousands to evacuate and damaging hundreds of houses.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the downpour across the state, Australia's most populous with 8 million people, was worse than initially expected, especially for low-lying areas in Sydney's northwest.