Queensland Drought Now Worst And Biggest Ever Recorded - Even Coastal Areas Hard-Hit
BRISBANE: An official report has been issued which states this year’s drought in Queensland as the most widespread on record. 80 per cent of the state has now been drought-declared.Queensland’s Agriculture Minister announced the largest area ever for the state that is suffering from drought adding 15 new shires to the list making a total of 38 areas.
It is the first time that even large sections of the Queensland coast is suffering from drought. Minister John McVeigh blamed the failed wet season for so many shires to be declared drought-stricken at once at once. He said that the wet season in these shires has been very poor with many areas missing out on the rain altogether. February which is normally one of the wettest times of the year in Australia has been very dry.
Around half of the newly declared shires are in the area of Wide Bay Burnett, which was flooded 14 months ago. Mr McVeigh says that they do not even factor in the option of a flood at one end of the 12-month assessment and drought at the other. He said that the farmers are hurting and struggling and they needed rain and assistance badly.
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http://www.theeasterntribune.com/story/3621/queensland-suffers-from-worst-drought-ever/
