Family rescued from Tasmanian floodwaters after being trapped on farm
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Version 0 of 1. A family was rescued from rising floodwaters by helicopter on Thursday after they became trapped trying to rescue horses on their farm in Tasmania’s Huon Valley. Tasmania police said three adults and two children were rescued. They had become trapped at the Huonville property, about 40km south of Hobart, after walking into an area to move the horses, the ABC reported. The floodwaters were moving too swiftly for them to be rescued by boat and they were picked up by the police rescue helicopter about 1pm. Rescue chopper airlifting people trapped in a field at #Huonville @abcnewsTas #Tasweather @abcnews24 pic.twitter.com/UfA0SdRb8F Sgt Damian Bidgood, who was in the rescue helicopter, told reporters in Hobart on Friday that the group had retreated to an orchard where they had been cut off by floodwaters. The Frankcomb Family rescued by helicopter after becoming stranded on their farming property. All four are cold &wet but unharmed @SXNewsTas pic.twitter.com/MXpjD4NqWT Huonville is one of the areas worst affected by flooding caused by an intense low-pressure system that brought heavy rains and strong winds to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania over the past 48 hours. Water inundates Huonville properties. SES has attended over 20 callouts this morn in area. Flood warning in place for Huon River @SXNewsTas pic.twitter.com/2S955ZgFrN Brian Edmonds, acting director of the State Emergency Service (SES) in Tasmania, said it had received 50 calls for assistance from the Huon Valley in 12 hours and had reports that up to 40 properties, including 16 in Huonville, had been flooded “to a minor degree”. At least one house was completely flooded. One house has completely flooded in #Huonville. Resident has only lived here 3 months. She has insurance @abcnewsTas pic.twitter.com/WnPYsgJWxR Six cars also had to be pulled from the floodwaters, although there was “no major risk to life”. Edmonds said the rain had eased by Friday afternoon and the Huon river was expected to peak overnight. “The situation is improving as we speak,” he said. In South Australia, the SES issued an emergency flood warning for the Barossa Valley town of Gawler and warned the Gawler river was expected to peak and break its banks late on Friday. There's a road under there!! Floodwater coming through with a scary amount of force @abcnewsAdelaide #sastorms pic.twitter.com/XaUNk1l3SB Residents in the suburbs of Two Wells, Hillier, Gawler River, Angle Vale, Penfield Gardens, Lewiston, Virginia, Port Gawler and Buckland Park were advised to put their emergency flood plans in place. The army was deployed to help with sandbagging. Army and CFS helping with sandbagging at Two Wells oval ahead of flood peak in Adelaide's north @abcnewsAdelaide pic.twitter.com/Jws8d1W6os The North Para river, which flows into Gawler, broke its banks on Thursday night, the ABC reported. The SES said on Friday that flood levels in that river were stabilising but it still posed a risk to residents in low-lying properties. The raging North Para River, which flooded the Barossa, is surging towards Gawler at force through this mitigation dam. MORE @9NewsAdel pic.twitter.com/WZgd6JUOQO |