Australian floods spread to Victoria state

Towns in the state of Victoria are being evacuated as heavy rains that have devastated Queensland, in the north, cause a growing emergency in southern Australia. Across north-central Victoria, more than 3,500 people have fled their homes, with 51 towns and 1,500 properties already affected by rising waters.

Horsham, a city of 14,000 people, is bracing for a "one-in-200-year flood", said its mayor, Michael Ryan. In Shepparton, the body of an eight-year-old boy who disappeared on Monday was found by police divers.