<span style="color: #222222;">Eastern coast of Australia was smashed by heavy rains today. The rain sparked dangerous flash flooding that forced the evacuation of multiple regions as the fast-moving waters destroyed houses, engulfed roads, stranded towns and cut power lines.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In Sydney, the country's biggest city, authorities pleaded for people to stay at home as a major dam overflowed and a mini-tornado tore through a western suburb.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Most of the coast of New South Wales (NSW) state, which is home to about a third of Australia's 25 million people, has already seen March rainfall records broken and authorities warned the downpour was likely to continue for several days.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told a televised briefing that the rain may not stop till Thursday or Friday.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The federal government said the extreme weather was affecting its COVID-19 vaccine delivery in Sydney and throughout state. Australia plans to deliver the first vaccine doses to almost six million people over the next few weeks.</span><br />''  <br />