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| ‘Heavy rain with no break’: NSW downpour leads to evacuation orders for towns and 22 flood rescues | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Mid-north coast and Hunter region cops barrage of extreme weather, with more than 30 schools closed and people in Taree advised to take shelter | Mid-north coast and Hunter region cops barrage of extreme weather, with more than 30 schools closed and people in Taree advised to take shelter |
| Persistent and heavy rain has caused flash flooding in New South Wales, with emergency services responding to more than 2,000 calls and assisting with evacuations. | Persistent and heavy rain has caused flash flooding in New South Wales, with emergency services responding to more than 2,000 calls and assisting with evacuations. |
| Much of NSW’s mid-north coast and Hunter region has copped the barrage, with 22 flood rescues performed overnight. | Much of NSW’s mid-north coast and Hunter region has copped the barrage, with 22 flood rescues performed overnight. |
| Taree experienced the worst rain, with more than 160mm falling in six hours overnight and 267mm since 9am on Monday. | Taree experienced the worst rain, with more than 160mm falling in six hours overnight and 267mm since 9am on Monday. |
| “We’ve seen significant flooding in Taree overnight, a couple of the flood rescues we undertook were for people in houses in locations where water rose incredibly swiftly over their floors and they had to be relocated again, all brought to safety,” the NSW State Emergency Service chief superintendent of state operations, Dallas Byrnes, told ABC TV. | “We’ve seen significant flooding in Taree overnight, a couple of the flood rescues we undertook were for people in houses in locations where water rose incredibly swiftly over their floors and they had to be relocated again, all brought to safety,” the NSW State Emergency Service chief superintendent of state operations, Dallas Byrnes, told ABC TV. |
| Lisa Mumford, a Burrell Creek resident, was flooded in at her property between Taree and Wingham after flood waters cut off access along Bucketts Way. | |
| “It’s just rained really heavily all night. Really heavy rain but with no break,” she said. | |
| “The creeks are up. They’re all much higher than normal and are rising. You’ve got causeways that are no longer accessible, bridges and driveways that can’t be used.” | |
| Mumford said schools, including the local Tinonee public school, had closed and some childcare centres were operating with reduced staff. | |
| “It’s a major rain event. We’re seeing access to services and towns completely blocked and the forecast is it’s going to continue, which means the potential for waterways to rise is still there,” she said. | |
| Dheera Smith is a former Mid-Coast Council councillor and a resident of Mondrook near Taree. She was also flooded in on Tuesday morning after bridges, including the Bight Bridge at Wingham, were closed due to rising water levels. | |
| “I look down toward the [Manning] river. It’s usually grass pastures but now the river is covering that all over,” she said. | |
| “There was heavy rain all night. The water gauges are full. People who are stuck on their properties – they’ll be stuck a while.” | |
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| As of Tuesday morning, the SES had received 2,000 calls in 24 hours, responded to 1,400 incidents, evacuated 60 people and performed 22 flood rescues. | As of Tuesday morning, the SES had received 2,000 calls in 24 hours, responded to 1,400 incidents, evacuated 60 people and performed 22 flood rescues. |
| Minor to major warnings for flooding on catchments across the mid-north coast and Hunter regions remained in place, while people in Taree were advised to take shelter. | Minor to major warnings for flooding on catchments across the mid-north coast and Hunter regions remained in place, while people in Taree were advised to take shelter. |
| The SES asked people in isolated locations in the area to evacuate, including at Dungog, Paterson, Gloucester, Bulahdelah and Chinchester Dam. | The SES asked people in isolated locations in the area to evacuate, including at Dungog, Paterson, Gloucester, Bulahdelah and Chinchester Dam. |
| “We are asking the community to be really, really conscious of their location … we are seeing lots of local creeks rise very quickly,” Byrnes said. | “We are asking the community to be really, really conscious of their location … we are seeing lots of local creeks rise very quickly,” Byrnes said. |
| “We have had numerous rescues from people entering flood waters [but] we’ve also done the majority from people who’ve just been in the wrong place, and flash flooding has taken them by surprise.” | “We have had numerous rescues from people entering flood waters [but] we’ve also done the majority from people who’ve just been in the wrong place, and flash flooding has taken them by surprise.” |
| The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said 1,600 SES personnel had been deployed, 68 schools had closed and there were emergency centres open, including at Taree. | |
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| “We’re asking for common sense, a sense of community coming together,” he said. | “We’re asking for common sense, a sense of community coming together,” he said. |
| “These are resilient towns. They’ve been through a lot before. We’re hoping and praying that the next 24 hours pass without incidents, but we’re ready in case the worst arrives.” | “These are resilient towns. They’ve been through a lot before. We’re hoping and praying that the next 24 hours pass without incidents, but we’re ready in case the worst arrives.” |
| Jenny Aitchison, the minister for roads and regional transport and the member for Maitland, warned people in affected areas not to drive through flood waters. | Jenny Aitchison, the minister for roads and regional transport and the member for Maitland, warned people in affected areas not to drive through flood waters. |
| “I’ve seen some horrendous videos just in the last 24 hours up in the Newcastle area and the Hunter of people driving through flood waters,” she said on Tuesday. | “I’ve seen some horrendous videos just in the last 24 hours up in the Newcastle area and the Hunter of people driving through flood waters,” she said on Tuesday. |
| “It only takes driving through 30cm of flood water to significantly shift your car and lose control. You don’t know what damage has happened underneath that car, underneath that road surface. | “It only takes driving through 30cm of flood water to significantly shift your car and lose control. You don’t know what damage has happened underneath that car, underneath that road surface. |
| “When you take your car into flood waters, you risk not only your own life, but also the lives of those people who will try and save you. So … please stay off the roads and do not go through flooded waters.” | “When you take your car into flood waters, you risk not only your own life, but also the lives of those people who will try and save you. So … please stay off the roads and do not go through flooded waters.” |
| The Bureau of Meteorology was predicting rain levels between 60 to 100mm in six hours on Tuesday in parts of the mid-north coast and Hunter, increasing to 100 too 190mm in isolated locations. | The Bureau of Meteorology was predicting rain levels between 60 to 100mm in six hours on Tuesday in parts of the mid-north coast and Hunter, increasing to 100 too 190mm in isolated locations. |
| While damaging winds and surf were expected to ease later on Tuesday, the extreme weather was tipped to stick around for some days. | While damaging winds and surf were expected to ease later on Tuesday, the extreme weather was tipped to stick around for some days. |
| “Heavy falls will remain a risk, particularly across the mid-north coast, with flash and riverine flooding continuing to be the main concern,” Sarah Scully, a BoM senior meteorologist, said. | “Heavy falls will remain a risk, particularly across the mid-north coast, with flash and riverine flooding continuing to be the main concern,” Sarah Scully, a BoM senior meteorologist, said. |
| “With large amounts of water building up over days and impacting roads and low-lying areas, dangerous driving conditions, traffic and transport delays and detours are expected and some local inundations will continue to occur.” | “With large amounts of water building up over days and impacting roads and low-lying areas, dangerous driving conditions, traffic and transport delays and detours are expected and some local inundations will continue to occur.” |
| More than 30 schools will be closed on Tuesday in the mid-north coast, Central Coast and Hunter regions due to flooding. The NSW education department reminded parents that schools do not offer minimal supervision during flood events. | More than 30 schools will be closed on Tuesday in the mid-north coast, Central Coast and Hunter regions due to flooding. The NSW education department reminded parents that schools do not offer minimal supervision during flood events. |
| Trains were not running between Scone, in the upper Hunter, and Newcastle. | Trains were not running between Scone, in the upper Hunter, and Newcastle. |