Australians take stock of flood damages as clean up efforts accelerate

Flooding resulting from a severe weather event with prolonged rains is seen at the Hawkesbury River northwest of Sydney in Wisemans Ferry, Australia, March 25, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian authorities accelerated recovery efforts and cancelled more than a dozen flood evacuation warnings on Friday as water levels that have caused widespread damage across the country's east receded.

Five straight days of incessant rains triggered the worst floods in Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) in more than half a century, cutting off entire towns and washing away homes, farms and livestock.