NSW SES is urging community members to be aware of their local flood advice as more warnings were issued for parts of the state on Monday, 24 October.
With widespread rain and storms affecting most catchments, NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin said 139 warnings were current, including 18 emergency warnings where community members were told to evacuate or move to higher ground.
“While rain has affected the East Coast over the weekend including the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Hunter, our focus continues on many communities on the western side of the Great Dividing Range along the Murray, Gwydir, Peel, Namoi, Murrumbidgee Rivers and the Central West, where our emergency warnings are in place,” he said.
“Over the past week, NSW SES members have responded to 2,150 requests for assistance and 107 flood rescues, and delivered about 500,000 sandbags since the start of October.
“Alongside partner agencies, we continue to assist communities with sandbagging, resupplying isolated people with emergency items and assisting vulnerable people with evacuation, aswell as responding to leaking roofs and trees down.”
With the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting wet weather to shift to the South Coast tomorrow, we remind communities that flash flooding is a risk for saturated catchments across the whole of NSW, and any amount of rainfall can quickly create dangerous conditions on roads and near creeks and rivers.
“The recent sad news of a woman who died in floodwater after her vehicle was swept off a causeway is a solemn reminder of the dangers of floodwater,” Deputy Commissioner Austin said.
NSW SES is urging residents in the impacted locations to be aware:
- Some roads were damaged during previous flooding. If you come across a flooded road, stop, turn around and find another way. Check Live Traffic before you leave.
- Every flood is different so stay up-to-date using new NSW SES website map to find out advice for particular location.
- Check Bureau of Meteorology for weather updates.
- Farmers should plan early to move livestock to higher locations.
For emergency help in floods and storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500, or if life-threatening call Triple Zero (000).
