Severe summer floods on Australia's east coast.<br/> <br />Three people have died and thousands have been ordered to leave their homes on Monday as high tides combined with torrential rains to inundate rivers in low lying areas.<br/> <br />Queensland and northern New South Wales are the worst hit.<br/> <br />In central Queensland, the State Emergency Service used boats and helicopters to rescue people who ignored evacuation orders or were unable to leave.<br/> <br />State premier Campbell Newman issued a grave warning.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) CAMPBELL NEWMAN, QUEENSLAND STATE PREMIER SAYING:<br/> <br />"The velocity of the water and the rise in water levels means that literally houses, particularly in north Bundaberg and maybe other locations, could be actually swept away."<br/> <br />Residents across the region did what they could to protect their homes from the rising waters.<br/> <br />Others were resigned to the weather and put on a brave face.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) SHERILL SHIRLEY, TUMBULGUM RESIDENT SAYING (PARTLY OVERLAID AT START):<br/> <br />"It's going to be OK. It's just the mess afterwards, the mud."<br/> <br />TV reports said as many as 130,000 homes are without power and could be cut off for the rest of the week.<br/> <br />Bushfires and flooding that has devastated parts of the country this summer have already cost around $45 million in insurance claims so far.
