Wild weather NSW: Nine people rescued by SES in Newcastle floods
Wild weather is set to batter the state’s coastline after intense flooding caused chaos overnight, prompting several rescue operations including one involving a stranded bus. It comes as beach properties remain on high alert as a low pressure system continues to generate dangerous swells.
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Emergency services have been bombarded with calls for assistance as heavy rains damaged roofs and flash flooding trapped people in their cars with the state bracing for more wild weather today.
The State Emergency Service received more than 700 calls for help across NSW since 6pm on Sunday, including 24 flood rescue jobs.
Most of the calls came from the state’s Central and South Coast, where people reported leaking and damaged roofs and falling trees.
A rescue operation to salvage two cars stuck in flood waters near Jamberoo was among those underway this morning.
It comes as the state braces for gale-force winds, more rain and damaging surf after wild weather pummeled the state’s coastline overnight.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds, heavy rainfall and damaging surf is in place for people in the Illawarra, South Coast, Snowy Mountains and parts of Sydney, the Central Tablelands and the Southern Tablelands.
The rough surf has placed coastal property owners on high alert for coastal erosion.
Already, parts of the state’s north and south coast and northern Sydney have recorded more than 100mm of rainfall - with parts of the south recording upwards of 200mm.
The deluge caused chaos in Newcastle overnight, where flash flooding left a group of children stranded on a bus as authorities launched a rescue operation.
Emergency services were called to the University of Newcastle at Callaghan just before 5.30pm to find the bus trapped by floodwaters.
The SES used an inflatable boat to rescue the nine children and the driver.
Workers also rescued four other motorists who were trapped in their cars by flash flooding in separate incidents in the Newcastle area as heavy rains swept down the coast.
The deluge extended as far inland as the Blue Mountains and residents living along rivers from Sydney to the far south coast were warned to brace for more heavy rainfall and potential flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood watch warning on Monday and said residents living near the Shoalhaven River, St Georges River, Deua River and Bega River should be alert to rising river water.
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It comes as parts of the Central Coast, Illawarra and Sydney brace for more wet weather.
Rain is expected to ease throughout the morning before gale-forced winds and dangerous surf conditions pound the coast.
Bureau of Metereology Duty Forecaster Jiwon Park told The Daily Telegraph that while the worst of the rainfall has passed, a southerly buster is travelling towards Sydney.
“This mature low pressure system is shooting vigorous southerly air flow along the coast. We are seeing a gale-force southerly developing off the south coast with 60/70km/h wind.
“We expect these southerly winds along the south coast region to come to the Illawarra in the later part of the morning and possibly Sydney in the afternoon.”
These gale-forced winds will whip up damaging surf conditions, with waves reaching up to five metres, putting properties on high alert for coastal erosion.
Mr Park said homes in Wamberal , which were forced to evacuate due to big surf last week, were at risk.
“The current warning covers that part of the Central Coast but whether that area will see damaging surf conditions or not depends,” he said.
The SES is on call to respond to homes in Wamberal, however, no calls have yet been received.