Australian flood crisis deepens

Military planes were flying food and other supplies toward a major city being slowly swamped in Australia’s flood emergency today, and police were increasing patrols in evacuated regions amid reports of looting.

Floodwaters that cover an area the size of France and Germany combined are draining slowly toward Australia’s northeastern coast, filling rivers to overflowing and inundating at least 22 towns and cities in the cattle and fruit and vegetable farming region.