BREAKING NEWS

Flooding prompts evacuations in Australian towns

SYDNEY — Drenching rains pounded communities across northeastern Australia on Tuesday, flooding major highways and prompting hundreds of evacuations.
Days of torrential downpours have left many communities inundated, with up to 11 inches (27 centimeters) falling in a 24-hour period in some areas.
Flooding has shut down about 300 roads across Queensland, including two major highways to the state capital Brisbane.
The Queensland state town of Theodore was under water, and officials were preparing to evacuate all 350 residents by helicopter later Tuesday, the Department of Community Safety said.