Northern NSW weather: Residents evacuated in Tumbulgum, major flooding possible
Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued on the NSW North Coast. See our list of road closures and cautions across the region.
Tweed Heads
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NSW State Emergency Services issued an evacuation order for Tumbulgum and surrounding areas just before 10am on Sunday.
SES is directing people to evacuate the Tumbulgum and surrounding areas with an evacuation centre set up at the Salvation Army on the corner of Leisure and Woodlands Drive at Banora Point
The NSW SES issued evacuation warnings for residents in the Clarence River at Maclean and Tumbulgum and surrounding areas on Sunday morning.
Residents should monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate when instructed to do so.
Thunderstorms from Sunday afternoon will potentially produce up to 250mm of rain in a six-hour period with 500mm in 24 hours across Sunday and Monday also possible.
Parts of the Bellinger and Nambucca areas have experienced up to 60mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours while the Rous River area near Tweed received over 70mm with heavier rainfall expected on Sunday afternoon.
Lists of Road Closures and Cautions
Lismore
Low lying areas are being inundated across northern NSW as heavy rain and rising sea swells push river and creek levels up across the region.
NSW State Emergency Services notified residents of the serious danger posed to children in floodwaters.
“We just received Intel from one of our Flood Rescue Operators that four children were found swimming in Browns Creek drain near Jolley Oval/Lismore Park,” the Lismore SES unit posted on facebook on Saturday night.
Swimming in flood waters is extremely dangerous as low lying debris and strong currents can be deadly.
None of the children were harmed.
Mullumbimby
Two horses were saved from rising flood waters on Thursday after a young man and woman braved the swell to get the animals across the Brunswick River.
Jacqui Porter captured the moment the young man pulled one of the horses across with the water at his shoulders.
Her friend Shanti helped another across.
“It was an incredible rescue,” she said.
“My beautiful friend Shanti and a young guy braved the waters and the very undulating paddock which you can‘t see because of water coverage.”
Rappville
Owner’s of the famous Commercial Hotel at Rappville are dreading the rising waters after painstakingly renovating the historic pub in 2020.
Lisa Stewart-Rosenbaum & Colin Foyster posted on their facebook page they were staying up all night to babysit the pub waiting for water to come inside.
“Welcome to our new suburb ‘Rappville Island’ - awaiting the yachts to pull up!” they wrote on a recent post.
“Fortunately heavy rains held off, and waters have receded half a metre back from outside front of the pub on Nandabah St,” Ms Stewart-Rosenbaum said.
Grafton
Grafton and Clarence Valley are preparing for major flooding on the weekend as torrential rain lashes the mid-north coast.
Grafton Rowing Club was pictured late on Friday with the Clarence River submerging the bottom half of the building.
Currently Grafton and Ulmarra are experiencing minor flooding however a major flooding warning has been issued to Grafton, Ulmarra and Maclean as a result of a rising Clarence River.
Water levels: Sunday, February 27
All water levels are as at 9am on Sunday February 27.
The Nambucca River at Bowraville is now experiencing moderate flooding with minor flooding expected at Macksville with the water level rising quickly on Sunday morning.
Wilson’s River at Lismore is currently at a minor flooding level but is rising with intense heavy rainfall expected on Sunday night and into Monday leading SES to issue a major flood warning for the Lismore area.
The Richmond River at Casino and Woodburn are both below minor levels but are rising with the heavy rainfall. Residents are urged to listen to instructions from SES.
A moderate to major flood warning was issued for the Clarence river at Grafton, Ulmarra and Maclean after intense rainfall on Sunday morning.
Evacuation of some houses may be required in the Ulmarra and Maclean areas and low-lying rural areas of Grafton are likely to become inundated as a result of rainfall heading into Monday.
The Tweed River at Chinderah is at a minor flood level at just over one metre while Murwillumbah is likely to experience moderate flooding from Sunday afternoon.
The Tweed River at Tumbulgum rapidly reached moderate flood levels overnight and major flooding is possible on Sunday afternoon.
Marshall’s Creek at Billinudgel and the Brunswick River at Mullumbimby are now below minor flooding levels but more rain is expected on Sunday afternoon.
The Richmond River has started rising again at Wiangaree on Sunday morning. This heavy rainfall may cause minor to major flooding at Wiangaree, Kyogle, Casino, Coraki, Bungawalbyn and Woodburn.
As of Sunday morning the Richmond River at Coraki was steady at the moderate flooding level with more rainfall to come.
The Richmond River at Bungawalbin is at a minor flood level after it reached over 4.0 metres on Sunday however it is rising.
The Richmond River at Woodburn reached the minor flood level (3.20 m) at 8.15am on Sunday and is slowly rising.
Bowraville Lane’s Bridge is over 6 metres on Sunday morning but is steady.
The Bellinger River continues to experience minor flooding and a moderate flooding warning has been issued for Thora where the water level is 4.07 metres.
Grafton and Ulmarra are experiencing minor flooding, with Grafton expected to endure moderate flooding on Saturday.
The Clarence River at Grafton on Prince St is now at 3.76 metres with a major flood warning issued as heavy rainfall continues to lash the lower clarence. SES have confirmed major flooding is possible on the Clarence River at Grafton, Ulmarra and Maclean.
SES has confirmed major flooding is possible at Coutts Crossing and moderate flooding at Glenreagh along the Orara River on Monday.
The Orara River at Glenreagh is currently at 7.22 metres while at Coutts Crossing it is at 10.45 metres.
Tweed Heads
On Friday Marine Rescue Zone Commander North, Mal Jeffs, said boaters should delay going out on the water as conditions deteriorated and flood warnings were issued for the Tweed, Wilson’s and Bellinger rivers.
“Rising seas and swell will make coastal bars extremely hazardous and conditions offshore will become increasingly dangerous with heavy rain, poor visibility and strong winds,” Mr Jeffs said.
He said flooding on coastal rivers and estuaries may result in strong currents and debris.
“Navigation markers may become submerged, moved or damaged, and channels and shoals may be shifted to new areas, making boating extremely dangerous.”
He said boat ramps would be more difficult to use with increased water levels.
Marine Rescue advises that boat moorings can break and cause drifting.
“Secure moorings or better still get boats out of the water,” a Marine Rescue spokesman said.
“For people in houseboats as well, make sure you have a plan in case something happens and get emergency numbers handy.”
Coffs Harbour
State Emergency Sevcices have been busy helping residents on the mid-north coast including at an address at Symons Ave, Boambee, where water was pouring in through the roof and light fittings.
The owners – who have lived there for more than 12 years – said the water started coming in at about 10am on Thursday.
“The water coming down through the lights was like someone had turned a tap on,” the owner said.
SES volunteers Mitchell Coyne and Keith Haycraft were onsite, and endeavouring to secure
a safety rope line across a “difficult roof”.
SES Coffs unit commander Ian Horncastle said some 60mm of rain was recorded in the city to 6am, with a further 100mm expected in the next 24 hours.
“After last night’s rain we’re at act and watch,” Mr Horncastle said.
He said most of the calls came from properties damaged in the supercell hailstorm which wreaked havoc across Coffs in October.
Pleas for assistance only started coming in this morning “as people woke up and could see water creeping into their bedroom” Mr Horncastle said.
Bellingen
Lavender’s Bridge was a dangerous spot to be on Saturday night but SES called out dangerous activity from one resident.
A man was seen walking along the almost submerged bridge on Friday leading to SES posting a warning to obey closed road signs and remind residents not to walk or drive through flood waters.
McFadyen‘s Bridge, Gleniffer Rd, Gordonville Rd and Rosewood Bridge are well and truly flooded and under water.
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