Evacuation order issued as flooding and wild weather continue in NSW
An evacuation order has been issued for residents in parts of the New South Wales local government area of Singleton.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is directing people along the Hunter River within Whittingham, Scotts Flat, Glenridding, Dunolly and Combo areas to evacuate the high danger area by 7pm.
Once floodwaters pass 11 metres on the Singleton gauge at Whittingham and Scotts Flat, roads will begin to close.
The areas affected include Whittingham, Scotts Flat, Whittingham Hall via New Freugh Hill via New England Highway and Range Road, Glenridding, Dunolly and Combo.
“Once floodwater begins inundating the area, road access water, sewerage, power, phones and internet may be lost,” an SES spokesperson said.
“If you remain in the area you will be trapped and it may be too dangerous for SES to rescue you.
“Wherever possible, people should go and stay with family or friends, or make other accommodation arrangements.”
If residents are unable to do this, an evacuation centre has been set up at Alroy Complex, Dorsman Drive, Singleton Heights.
Residents in low-lying properties have been advised to lift possessions and important items above the predicted flood height.
They should take pets, essential items, warm clothes, medicines, insurance documents and valuables with them.
“Leave as early as possible to avoid restricted roads,” a spokesperson said.
“Share this information with family, friends and neighbours and help others where possible.”
As wet weather continues, flood warnings are in place for New South Wales and Queensland after heavy rainfall overnight.
It comes as the two states received more than a month’s worth of rain in a day.
The deluge has caused Sydney’s Warragamba Dam to hit capacity and begin to spill.
The dam began spilling just after 9pm last night.
The spill is expected to continue for a week or more.
Hazardous conditions
The weather has turned deadly after a man was killed in central Queensland.
The man’s ute was swept away by floodwaters in Hibernia, west of Rockhampton in central Queensland.
A woman is also fighting for life in Sydney after a tree fell on a car at Glen Alpine in the city’s south-west.
The heavy rainfall and wild weather has caused damage to NSW roads.
A bridge collapsed in the NSW Central West as a result of the deluge.
A car was driving over the Nyrang Creek Bridge near Canowindra as it was collapsing.
The occupants were taken to hospital and were not in a serious condition.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has urged residents to pay attention to weather and flood warnings.
“We’ve had over 34 flood rescues in the last 24 hours that is way too many,” he said.
“Please don’t drive through floodwaters, please follow the advice you’ve been given. That will keep you and your family safe.”
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 850 calls for help overnight and performed 34 flood rescues.
There are flood warnings in place for NSW inland rivers, and the Hunter, Hawkesbury Nepean Rivers.
Minor flooding is expected for the Hawkesbury Nepean River this afternoon.
It comes just months after the region was hit by devastating floods which destroyed homes and businesses.
Scone in the state’s Upper Hunter region has been hit particularly hard with residents told to prepare for evacuations.
In Queensland, there are flood warnings in place for the Dawson River and Theresa Creek.
Australia’s east coast has been battered by a weather system that stretches across four states as the November deluge continues.
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior meteorologist Jonathan Howe said yesterday the rain had been “relentless” across Queensland and NSW.
NSW
More “unsettled” weather is expected in NSW through the weekend as a trough moves east, the BoM said.
Showers will continue over the east and north today with the potential of a severe thunderstorm in the north-east.
Temperatures will be below average today.
