Flash flooding on Australia's southeast coast has killed three people and cut off towns, isolating tens of thousands of residents, as officials on Thursday warned more downpours were expected over the next 24 hours.

Days of heavy rain in the Australian state of New South Wales turned deadly Wednesday as record floodwaters trapped people in their cars and homes.

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian authorities started clean-up efforts on Saturday after floods claimed five lives and inundated more than 10,000 properties in the country's southeast. The New South Wales emergency services agency said damage assessments were under way in the state for the mid-north coast region after the floods that cut off towns,