Warning of ‘very dangerous’ 48 hours ahead for flood-hit NSW

Premier Dominic Perrottet today gave an update and said major challenges remained for residents and emergency services.

“We currently have over 120 warnings in place and of those 120 warnings, we have 20 evacuation orders. The main areas that are under threat are the Northern Rivers.”

Perrottet said further rainfall predicted for Lismore and the Tweed was particularly concerning for authorities.

He repeated calls for residents to resist driving through floodwaters because as well as putting their lives at risk, it tied up resources of emergency services.

“Yesterday we had someone drive through flood waters who needed to be rescued by 20 emergency service volunteers,” he said.

Perrottet said NSW continued to face “incredibly challenging flood conditions” but he thanked the federal government, the Defence Force, local councils and volunteers for working collaboratively to help communities.

Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said the state was facing a “very dangerous 48 hours” and there were flood risks all across NSW.

“What we are currently experiencing is more flood threats in more communities and locations than at any other time this year. At present, we literally have a flood risk in every corner of the state.”

She said authorities had set up a forward “base camp” at Moree in the state’s north, with 150 emergency workers stationed there.

Cooke said extra resources, including ADF personnel and helicopters, had been prepositioned for worsening conditions.

“We have helicopters prepositioned, 100 ADF moving into the community. We have swift boat rescue teams prepositioned up there and ready to go.”

Jane Goulding from the Bureau of Meteorology said the flood peak at Moree is expected at 10.7m later today, which is higher than what the town experienced during the devastating floods on March 21.

She said more rainfall was expected over inland areas of NSW and on the coast and the Northern Rivers was “the key area to be watching closely today and tonight”.

Goulding also said developing weather systems would bring more rain over the coming two days.

“We are seeing a system come in from South Australia today already seeing moderate totals along the South Australian border and that rain and those storms will extend eastwards across to the slopes today and a bit further eastwards tomorrow,” she said.

State Emergency Service Commissioner Carlene Yorke said the state was facing a very significant weather event “evident in the western area, Central West, Riverina and the Northern Rivers”.

The SES has issued 120 warnings across the state including 20 emergency warnings.

They affect parts of Moree including Terry Hie Hie; Narrandera; Gunnedah and Carroll Village; Moama and Cummeragunja, along the Murray River; Picnic Point, Mathoura East; Murray Valley Regional Park between Moama and Barooga.

Multiple severe weather warnings are in place for heavy rainfall which may also lead to flash floods in parts of Queensland’s south-east coast.

Warnings in place for Queensland

The Bureau of Meteorology expects that the system will bring heavy rainfall, with six-hourly rainfall totals between 90 to 150mm possible.

Intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding are also possible, with the highest risk areas are about the coastal areas and ranges.

Beaches are off limits on the Gold Coast, with a gale wind warning issued for coastal waters.

The heaviest of rain is expected on the Sunshine Coast to just south of Coolangatta.

There is a flood watch for the Richmond, Wilsons, Tweed and Rouse Rivers and the Clarence River, while a minor flood warning remains for the Orara River, all in NSW.

In Lismore, residents are ramping up their flood response as flooding is expected for the third time this year.

Lismore mayor Steve Krieg told Weekend Today said many residents only moved back to the town four weeks after the previous flooding event.

“The community is very anxious,” he told Weekend Today.

“There is a lot of people who are really nervous about the next 24-48 hours that’s for sure.”

He said many of the town’s residents are still traumatised by the year’s earlier floods.

”The mental health impact of the February 28 event is going to live long in Lismore’s memory,” he said.

“I talk to people daily who are still very highly traumatised from that weather event from only eight months ago and, these warnings and flood preparations now, yes, they are very worrying for our community, that’s for sure.”

The SES has begun doorknocking activities to alert Lismore residents about the possibility of floods. 

In Victoria, there is a chance of showers today, most likely in the evening. There is a chance of a thunderstorm in the northeast suburbs of Melbourne.

There is a gale wind warning for the central coast and strong wind morning in place for Port Phillip, West Coast, Central Gippsland Coast and East Gippsland Coast.