Parts of Australia declared a state of emergency as rampant flash flooding has gripped the country since Thursday.

Thousands have been ordered to evacuate, and at least 16 areas in the New South Wales region are under natural disaster declarations due to heavy rains that overwhelmed a dam and a multitude of natural water bodies. NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott has yet to report any deaths but cautioned the public that the country is “moving closer and closer to the inevitable fatality.”