Dam-burst fears evacuate 120 Australian homes

Australian authorities raced to evacuate 120 homes south of Sydney on Wednesday as a flooded dam was at "high risk" of bursting and inundating their properties.

Australian authorities raced to evacuate 120 homes south of Sydney on Wednesday as a flooded dam was at "high risk" of bursting and inundating their properties.

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Emergency services issued a red alert over Wollongong's Bulli Upper Railway Basin Dam, which has been swollen by heavy downpours and could also cut off a major highway.

"There is a risk of dam failure and the SES (State Emergency Service) has assessed the situation as being a high risk requiring the evacuation of residents and properties downstream," a statement said.

"The potential speed of the incident means that residents will have very little notice from dam failure through to inundation so it is critical that residents prepare themselves and follow the evacuation order immediately."

The service said volunteers were going house to house to make sure everybody left their properties.