New South Wales authorities have warned that a weather system developing off the state’s coast could bring a new deluge as it moves north and targets areas including the Mid North Coast – a region already devastated by flooding multiple times in the past 18 months.
Several evacuation warnings were issued overnight and on Tuesday morning, including for parts of Windsor and Shanes Park, in Sydney’s north-west and west on top of the 102 evacuation orders in place across the state while 55 more warnings affect over 55,000 people who live in communities that are in danger.
Thousands of residents in affected areas have had to evacuate their homes, uncertain of when and if they will be able to return and how they will recover from the damage.
Authorities are focused on the Hawkesbury-Nepean regions, as well as the Hunter and Newcastle, which could see rainfalls of about 100mm on Tuesday predicting heavy rainfalls for the Mid North Coast and Coffs Harbour on Wednesday. At the same time, Southern Sydney, the Illawarra and Central Tablelands regions experienced four to eight times their monthly rainfall in the past five days, including Brogers Creek which has recorded 866mm.
“Our flood team is looking at what that might mean to the rivers. There will be a flood watch issued over the next few hours. We can expect to see some of the rivers in the Mid North Coast respond to rain that falls there tonight and tomorrow,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding said.
Meanwhile, thousands of flood-affected residents are eligible for the immediate financial relief joint funded by the commonwealth and NSW state government after a natural disaster was declared for 23 local government areas on Monday night, including Blacktown, Camden, Hornsby, Kiama and Wollongong. NSW Emergency Management Minister Steph Cooke called on any resident who required accommodation to reach out as hundreds sought shelter in evacuation centres.
“The weather will continue for a number of days. It’s still dangerous as the water goes away. It will be a while, for example, before the bridges come back on the Hawkesbury River… obviously the land is saturated. It’s still dangerous out there,” NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York warned.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to visit flood-affected areas upon his return from overseas while NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet urged people to be careful around floodwaters. thanking emergency services’ response and co-ordination which he dubbed “very strong”.
