NSW Floods: disaster assistance payments to expand to eleven more LGAs

Thousands of flood-ravaged homes will be able to access disaster relief funding as severe flooding that continues to batter the state, with the SES warning there are still flood warnings in force.

Flooding continues to batter the state, Picture: David Swift

Thousands of homes and businesses in 11 more LGAs will get access to joint-funded disaster assistance for the severe flooding that hit NSW mid-September and continues to batter the state.

Impacted families in Bega Valley, Junee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Shoalhaven, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Temora, Walcha, Yass Valley and the Unincorporated Area of New South Wales will be able to access joint funding from the Federal and State governments.

Federal Emergency Management Minister, Murray Watt, said funding would also help councils and businesses get back on their feet.

“I’d encourage communities to see what sort of support is available under the DRFA (Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements) and how it can help with recovery efforts,” Minister Watt said. “These intense floods have left major repairs in their wake, and we’ll continue to work with the NSW Government to make sure communities have access to the tools they need to get back on their feet.”

The SES said they’d attended 313 calls for help overnight. Picture: Facebook

Emergency Services, Resilience and Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said 66 LGAs across New South Wales have now been subject to a natural disaster declaration for this weather event.

“The slow-moving nature of this flooding across western and southern parts of our State means that the impacts on households, primary producers and businesses will continue for many weeks to come,” Ms Cooke said.

“As the extent of the damage becomes clearer we will continue working with the Commonwealth to unlock additional levels of financial support so that communities can clean up and recover.”

The type of help available for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged include support for local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged public property, concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations and freight subsidies for primary producers.

Meanwhile, the NSW State Emergency Service warned there were still 20 flood warnings active across the state on Friday, with areas of focus being Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Darling, Barwon and Murray.

A NSW SES spokesperson said there were 313 requests for help and 10 floor rescues in the last 24hrs, mainly for communities in southern and eastern inland NSW.

“Much of NSW SES‘ efforts are focused on sandbagging, flood rescues, resupply and fodder drops,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to see blue-sky flooding where despite rainfall easing, areas such as Forbes are seeing major flooding and potentially breaking flood records”.

“Today, Forbes will see major flooding along the Lachlan River at 10.8m, similar to the June 1952 flood. NSW SES is continuing to prepare and communicate with the community in areas that are expected to be affected by flooding”.

The spokesperson said major flooding was occurring at North Wagga Wagga, Gunnedah, Condobolin, Euabalong, Hillston and Nyngan.