Bureau of Meteorology declares third La Niña is officially under way for Australia

East coast communities prepare for more rain and floods as they enter relatively rare third year of climate event

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Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has declared a La Nina event is under way in the Pacific, joining other international agencies to mark a weather pattern that typically elevates flood risks for much of the country.

In its fortnightly update of Australia's climate drivers, the bureau said key atmospheric and oceanic indicators of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (Enso) showed an established La Nina".