Areas of Queensland and New South Wales have been devastated by serious flooding this weekend, with at least 9 deaths already reported and hundreds more people missing.
More than 15,000 in Brisbane have been destroyed, and 54,000 are currently without power, with schools and roads in and out of the city currently closed.
10 Queensland Councils have activated emergency disaster assistance in a bid to clean up areas most effected.
Australia has suffered from extreme weather swings, including wildfires, droughts and floods, in the past, though experts report that a major factor driving this extreme weather is climate change, which is adding to the severity. Scientists have predicted that, due to the increasing presence of atmospheric rivers (rivers of vapour that collect in the air) extreme flooding events are 80% more likely in some areas of Australia should the globe continue to warm at the same rate.
If we can limit global warming to less that 1.5℃ within this century, we can make a significant difference to the likelihood of such disastrous events. You can learn more about climate change, and what you can do to help, on our SDG 13 Learning Page!