NSW weather: Regional towns remain on flood alert as heavy rain eases
The Premier has flown over the flooded farms of Moree and vowed to do all he could to ease the pain of the community. Meanwhile, a sudden storm has stuck the city. See the pictures.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A “fast-moving” and “dangerous” storm cell is ravaging parts of Sydney with warnings that “particularly severe” weather will hit the city’s south.
The system has southeast across the city and off the coast, bringing strong winds and dumping heavy rain, particularly in Western Sydney.
An earlier detailed severe thunderstorm warning has since been downgraded by the Bureau of Meteorology, but not before the weather system caused some havoc – along with some excellent photographic fodder.
#NSWRFS crews from Orchard Hills and Regentville Brigades have responded to assist @nswpolice with a large marquee which was blown onto powerlines. With the storm season well and truly here, this is a timely reminder to secure any outdoor objectives which could be blown away. pic.twitter.com/t62Bprg1TK
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 25, 2022
As regional communities grapple with yet another flood disaster, Premier Dominic Perrottet on Tuesday flew over the flooded farms surrounding Moree and vowed to do all he could to ease their pain.
“I know the pain of the community,” he said after his helicopter landed at Moree airport. “I felt that pain and I want to get every single person the support that we can.”
Mr Perrottet flew over the flooded farms with Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke and local MP Adam Marshall who vowed to stay on and contest the seat in the next election.
Mr Perrottet said he had “worked very closely with the Commonwealth Government” to finalise an assistance package for flood affected areas and “will be announcing it shortly”.
Mr Perrottet said around 300 properties have been affected and around 4000 people so the flooding “is extensive”.
He said flood victims were being helped by a team effort of volunteers on the ground including the SES, Rural Fire Service and Surf Lifesaving.
“Now whilst they’re tired, their spirits are high. And to me that’s incredibly pleasing,” he said while refuting any suggestion that they were under-resourced.
The floodwaters in Moree began to recede with agonising slowness today to reveal a town covered in mud.
“I am gutted,” Moree mayor Mark Johnson said standing on the burst banks of the Mehi River. “You just don’t like to see your town torn to bits.”
The river reached a peak of 10.5 metres, just below the record of 1955, to flood the town and surrounding farmland for the second time in a year.
“I know most of the people that are impacted and I cannot do anything about it,” Mr Johnson said. “I just want to try and fix it and I can’t.”
The floodwaters left more than 300 homes and businesses under water with another 1000 impacted. Around 70 people had to stay in emergency accommodation set up in the Moree PCYC.
In the car park there the Animal Welfare League had set up their B-Double emergency trailer to take care of animals and pets that had been left homeless by the floods.
Veterinary nurse Sandy Abrahams was taking care of nine dogs, two quail and eight Silkie chickens.
“The owner of the chickens said she got back to her house and there were just bodies floating everywhere,” Ms Abrahams said. “So she bundled those that were left in a box and brought them here.”
She said the dog owners had nowhere to keep their pets and did not want them walking in dirty water. The animals included a dachshund who “is not going to get very far in a flood.”
But the real impact is being felt on the farms outside of town where farmers were just weeks from bringing in a bumper harvest. Farmers estimate the cost of the flooding could easily exceed $150 million.
NSW Farmers Grains Committee chairman Justin Everitt said more than 120,000 hectares of wheat had been lost. The lost revenue came on top of the $42 million they had spent to plant the crop in the first place.
“Farmers know they’re taking a bit of a gamble when they’re planting a crop, but this ongoing wet weather with flood after flood after flood is just unbelievable,” Mr Everitt said.
Even the farmers whose fields have not been flooded are unable to harvest their crops because most of the roads have been washed away and trucks and harvesting equipment cannot get in.
THE SITUATION SO FAR
The State Emergency Service is helping to sandbag communities across the state in a bid to reduce the amount of water entering people’s homes.
On Tuesday morning, there were 141 flood warnings across the state, with 24 being emergency warnings, urging over 7000 people to either evacuate now or before a nominated time.
Some areas under the emergency warnings include Moree, Lismore, Gunnedah and Narrabri.
The intensity of recent weather conditions had led the SES to prepare communities that are along the downstream of the Murray River with sandbags, spokesperson Greg Nash told The Daily Telegraph.
The SES received 664 requests for assistance, mainly dealing with water leaking from roofs and sandbagging.
So far 32 flood rescues have been conducted this week.
The preparation is expected to go on during the week as a low pressure system comes down on NSW.
The Bureau of Meteorology has said residents could expect a reprieve from intense rainfall for the rest of the week.
“We are expecting to see an easing of showers over the coming days.
“The low pressure system moving down the coast of NSW, may lead to the chance of some showers, possibly severe thunderstorms and damaging winds but (will) not be expecting heavy rain,” said BOM spokesperson Morgan Pumpa.
FLOOD SPLITS MOREE IN TWO AS LISMORE, NARRABRI EVACUATE
Parts of NSW have been struck by the worst floods to hit them in 100 years, as swathes of the state are warned to prepare for flash flooding and more drenching rain in coming days.
In a tragedy-fuelled 24 hours, a woman in her 20s was confirmed dead after the vehicle she was travelling in was swept away, while 4000 residents have been ordered to evacuate and hundreds of homes impacted by swollen river waters at Moree.
The State Emergency Service conducted a further 37 flood rescues across 24 hours leading into Monday afternoon, amid warnings that heavy rain would strike much of the already-waterlogged state again from Tuesday.
In the Northern Rivers region, parts of Lower North Lismore have been ordered to evacuate by 8PM. The SES’s emergency warning has been issued for Winterton Parade between Pitt Street and the Wilsons River, and Pitt Lane.
Inland, large low-lying swathes of Narrabri adjacent to Narrabri Creek are on alert, with parts of the town’s north, southeast and industrial estate directed to evacuate now.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Steven Bernasconi said a weather system was anticipated to move south through NSW on Tuesday, bringing with it the risk of flash flooding, but a second weather system was on their radar and could mean rain will return on Sunday.
Emergency services located the body of a young woman at about 9.50am on Monday morning, almost 12 hours after she became separated from the group she was travelling with.
The group of four – including a 45-year-old male driver and two male passengers aged 43 and 26 – are believed to have been swept into floodwaters near Gulgong, in central-west NSW.
All four passengers were able to escape, but the woman was then swept away into the rushing floodwaters.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the widespread flooding across western NSW communities was in some cases the worst in a century.
“In places like Moree, we’re seeing places in areas of NSW which haven’t seen floods like these in 100 years,” he said.
Moree Mayor Mark Johnson said the flood waters had split the town in two with the northern side inundated, forcing 70 people to stay overnight in the evacuation centre at the Moree PCYC.
The floodwaters peaked on Sunday at 10.5 metres, just below the 1955 record, with the town remaining divided as of Monday afternoon.
“Normally what we see is that the flood water comes slowly but then it goes away quickly. This time it is leaving so painfully slowly it is frustrating everyone,” he said.
NSW is facing flood threats on multiple fronts.
— Dom Perrottet (@Dom_Perrottet) October 24, 2022
Many of these areas have already been impacted by recent flood events.
A total of 43 LGA’s are now subject to natural disaster declarations for the severe storms and flooding which began on 14 September. pic.twitter.com/vBqiYfNU2y
On Tuesday the State Emergency Service has 150 people arriving to help start the massive clean-up operation with assistance from a state government “emergency base camp” in the town.
But until the waters subside and the clean-up can begin there are other more pressing problems for residents, with the town’s two supermarkets on the northern side of the river.
The Amaroo Tavern, on the south side of the river, is one of the few businesses which remained open.
“We’ve been extra busy over the weekend, a lot of people over this side of town have come in for dinner and a few beers,” bar supervisor Paige McGrady said.
“It’s been one of the only places you can eat out on this side of town. People have been cut off from supplies.”
Join the conversation
Tragic anniversary of sports coach’s senseless murder
A year has passed since the senseless and violent murder of a young sports coach in an elite Sydney school bathroom by her short-term ex-boyfriend, leaving the nation reeling.
Read more
When an unexpected delay turns into a privilege
The war in Gaza has delayed the arrival of the Bean to Alexandria, leaving our intrepid travellers stranded. But in true pioneering form, they used the time to go exploring.
Read more