Thousands of Australians were stranded and others were evacuated on Monday as floodwaters surged through towns in a swathe of New South Wales, said officials, who were bracing for more rain. Parts of the state's southeast were declared natural disaster areas as swollen rivers spilled into the streets and water levels continued to rise, forcing the closure of major highways, state Premier Kristina Keneally said. About 4 000 people were isolated and some 1 500 had been evacuated, according to the State Emergency Service
A total of 34 New South Wales regions were now natural disaster zones, Keneally said, with 17 declarations issued in the past few days.