Floods cut off farms in NSW

Helicopters were airdropping animal feed yesterday to farmers in Australia stranded by floods that have killed five and isolated tens of thousands in the country’s southeast.

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Recovery was under way in the mid-north coast region of New South Wales state after days of flooding cut off towns, swept away livestock and destroyed homes. At least 10,000 properties may have been damaged in the floods, which were sparked by days of incessant rain, authorities estimate.

The floodwaters “trashed” Dan Patch’s house in rural Ghinni Ghinni near hard-hit Taree, and some cattle on the property have gone without food for days, he said.

“It’s the worst we've ever seen,” Mr Patch said. “It’s the worst everybody's seen around this area.”