Ballina facing flood again as traffic jams stretch 10 kilometres
The SES has provided a new warning for low lying parts of Ballina as hundreds of motorists clog the highways and streets of Ballina, holding up residents returning to survey flood damage. Watch the videos.
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Ballina residents have been hit with the unwelcome news from State Emergency Services who say high tides over the next 24 hours will bring water levels up “similar or higher than what we have already been experiencing”.
For the second time in a week, low lying roads in and around Ballina are expected to be inundated as high tides roll through the town.
The announcement was made shortly after midday on Friday as a result of major flooding occurring in the Richmond River.
The traffic queue to enter the flood-ravaged town of Ballina was now more than ten kilometres long as locals tried to return to survey the damage.
Motorists are attempting to jam themselves back into the beach town to get to their flood soaked homes but a massive traffic queue has formed on Ballina Road.
The queue stretches from to Alstonville, just over ten kilometres west of Ballina.
The jam has blown out travel times on the Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road going east.
Helicopter footage has also revealed the blockage.
According to Live Traffic NSW, cars are clogging the roads up until Ballina Bunnings which opened for business on Thursday.
Major jams are occurring throughout the suburbs of Ballina with water over the roads in Ballina CBD.
There is also water of the road on River Street heading past the roundabout on Ballina Road.
Photos from the flood
As many NSW residents were waking up for work earlier in the week, Ballina residents braced themselves for the second major flooding events in a matter of weeks.
Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the event was akin to “cyclonic” conditions.
The wild weather led to dozens of residents being evacuated by SES and ADF personnel.
See the pictures here:
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