During the General Audience on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, Pope Francis lamented to the “great floods that caused grave damages in the State of New South Wales in Australia, and expressed his closeness to the people and families affected yet again by this disaster, especially those who saw their homes destroyed.

The Holy Father encouraged those “who are doing everything possible to search for those who are missing and to bring aid.”

According to media reports, faced with this natural disaster, authorities evacuated some 15,000 people living in the north-central coast of New South Wales, located some 400 kilometers north of Sydney, and where 900 millimeters of rain has fallen over the last six days. Some 35 communities of this area are still isolated.

Three thousand evacuees are residents in neighborhoods west of Sydney, the most populated city of Australia. In this area, roads and houses near the rivers are covered in water, as is the bridge of the town of Windsor, considered protected from floods.

Although the Authorities have lowered the alerts in some parts west of Sydney, they are keeping an eye on towns such as Windsor, in the coming days.

The Warragamba Dam in Sydney, the city’s most important dam, reached its maximum capacity last week. It is at its highest level since 2016.