澳大利亚军方 黑鹰直升机救援民众

Down in Australia, days of torrential rainstorms have left many communities inundated under water. As the downpours continued on Tuesday, the country's northeast was pounded, flooding major highways, and prompting hundreds of evacuations.

Up to 27 centimeters of rain have fallen across Australia in a 24-hour period.

Floods have shut down about 300 roads throughout the state of Queensland.

Officials are also preparing to airlift all 350 residents of the town of Theodore to safety.

Over in the Western Downs Region, the situation is extremely serious.

Bill Mccutcheon, Western Down Regional Councilor, said, "About 30 businesses in town are affected. I won't say they're all flooded, but they'll have water of some type in their premises. Some of them are completely inundated, and others are just, have water into their yards, into their surrounds."

The storms have also caused damage worth at least 400 million US dollars, to crops across the state, which were just recovering from months of drought.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard made sure to pay tribute to volunteers offering assistance in flood-affected areas on Tuesday.

Julia Gillard, Australian Prime Minister, said, "The federal government is there, ready to assist in any way which is necessary. But as governments play their part, we know that, when Australians have to battle flood and heat, it is community volunteers who bear the brunt of that work, and I'm sure our thoughts, and our very best wishes, are with them today."

Hundreds of people remain isolated in the towns of Urbenville and Bonalbo. According to local media reports, they're expected to be cut off for at least another 24 hours.