Northern NSW: SES blasts revellers for water skiing, swimming in floodwaters

Daredevils frolicking in floodwaters across northern NSW have been blasted by the State Emergency Service for putting lives at risk.

Daredevils frolicking in floodwaters across northern NSW have been blasted by the State Emergency Service for putting lives at risk.

TikTok users in flood-stricken areas across the state’s north have been filming themselves making a splash and posting footage of their stunts online.

One NSW TikTok user was filmed doing a front flip into deep floodwaters, before posting footage of himself water skiing on a floatie tied to the back of a car, which sped along submerged grass.

Daredevils frolicking in floodwaters on Northern NSW have been slammed by the State Emergency Service for putting lives at risk.

People have been urged to stay out of rising floodwaters.

A man attempts to surf behind the back of a car.

The vehicle and floatie kicked up a large spray of floodwater as they rocketed towards a friend filming the stunt.

“Bitta fun in the flood,” the video was captioned.

In another clip, a teen in the Tweed area was filmed paddling his surfboard out into a submerged street, smiling at the camera before splashing his way through the water.

At Grafton, a pair of young girls are seen on TikTok laughing and paddling their kayaks through their family‘s backyard and out towards the street as water laps halfway up the backyard clothesline pole.

A Tweed local goes for a paddle in the rising waters.

In a fourth video, dozens of locals stand on top of a hill with water sheeting down the side, taking turns to dive onto their boogie boards and slide down into the water.

The collection of daring stunts included clips from Queensland in a similar vein, with videos of locals boogie boarding, waters skiing behind cars and dive bombing into the floodwaters posted from within the Sunshine State.

Boogie boarders skid down a waterlogged hill.

The videos have attracted thousands of likes, views and comments on TikTok.

“They look like they‘re having fun,” one commenter wrote.

“Rain calls for the best fun,” a second added.

A third simply added a few laughing emojis.

Another man goes waterskiing.

Another person waterskiing in QLD.

But the NSW State Emergency Service slammed the wet weather revellers, calling on them to use “common sense”.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell blasted the daredevils as “reckless”.

“Tragically this flood event has seen a number of deaths in Queensland and a possible death in Lismore … given the gravity and severity of this situation, to see people act so recklessly is a disappointment,” Mr Campbell said.

“They‘re placing themselves at risk and encouraging other people to do the same. I would urge people to rethink their actions and stop it.”

He added that the punters could put better use to their time- by assisting the SES with flood rescues and other duties.

“If they want to go into floodwaters so badly, they could at least start helping us out,” Mr Campbell said.