Australia braced for more storms as nine die*

By Nick Squires in Sydney
Last Updated: 1:42am BST 11/06/2007

Australians were braced for more atrocious weather this week after the
worst storms in more than 30 years killed nine people and forced the
evacuation of thousands of others in the East as swollen rivers cut off
towns and farms.

During three days of wild weather roads collapsed, cars were washed away
with people still inside and a giant freighter was washed ashore by
mountainous seas at Newcastle, north of Sydney.

John Howard, the prime minister, called it "an immense disaster".

The damage to Newcastle, a coal and steel town, was worse than that
caused by an earthquake which hit the city in 1989, officials said.

High seas hindered efforts to save the 30,000 ton coal freighter Pasha
Bulker on Nobbys Beach on Friday, amid fears the vessel could break up,
releasing 700 tons of fuel oil.

Stormy seas hammered popular beaches such as Bondi, pushing sand up on
to the promenade and burying footpaths and benches.

More than 100,000 homes were left without power in Sydney, Newcastle and
areas in between.

A large part of New South Wales was declared a disaster area, as
rescuers found the bodies of two adults and three children whose car
plunged into a creek when the road collapsed beneath them.

An elderly couple died after their car was swept off a bridge by floods
and a 45-year-old man drowned as he stepped out of his car. A
29-year-old driver was crushed by a tree.

More rain is expected this week. However, the torrential downpour was
confined to a relatively small area and most of southern Australia
remains stricken by drought.