Severe flooding in New South Wales, Australia, has reached such extreme levels that cattle are being swept away and washed up on beaches—an unsettling sign of the disaster's scale. Nearly 50,000 people have been forced to evacuate, with officials declaring a natural disaster as floodwaters continue to wreak havoc.

Editor’s Note: This isn't just another flood story—it's a stark reminder of how extreme weather can upend lives in unexpected ways. When livestock end up on beaches, it underscores how unprepared even rural communities can be for the sheer force of climate-driven disasters. For farmers, this means devastating losses; for residents, it's another disruption in a region already battered by floods in recent years. The bigger question: How much more can these communities take?