‘Leave now’: Thousands evacuate as floods inundate northern NSW
Thousands of people have been told to evacuate “high danger areas” immediately as floodwaters inundate northern NSW.
Thousands of people have been told to evacuate as worsening floods inundate northern NSW.
Residents in low-lying parts of Tweed Heads and surrounding areas are being urged to move to higher ground.
“Once floodwaters begin inundating the area, road access may be cut,” the SES said on Monday.
“If you remain in the area after this time, you may become trapped and it may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you.”
Evacuation centres have been established at Salvo Banora Point and Kingscliff TAFE.
The Tweed River at Chinderah is expected to peak near 2.6 metres at about 9pm on Monday night, triggering major flooding.
Once floodwaters pass 1.6 metres on the Barneys Point gauge, roads will begin to close.
The floods could also cut access to sewerage, power, phones and internet.
Premier Dominic Perrottet has warned the “unprecedented” floods across northern NSW are expected to worsen in coming days.
An immediate evacuation order has been issued for all flood-prone areas across the entire Northern Rivers region of NSW as locals scramble to safety.
Adverse weather conditions are hindering air rescue efforts.
“There are many distressing reports around the Lismore area of people that are isolated and currently stranded,” Mr Perrottet told reporters.
“I ask those people who are isolated at the moment to please be patient and be assured we are doing everything we can to help you.”
Severe weather affecting northern regions was expected to move south over the course of the week.
There have been more than 500 flood rescues and 927 recalls for help in the past 24 hours.
At least 30,000 people across 18 areas have been given evacuation orders.
The premier advised those who could evacuate safely to do so and for those who were unsure to contact the SES.
A multi-agency response is being run from the State Emergency Centre in Homebush.
At least 200 ADF personnel are on the ground around Lismore assisting with logistics, sandbagging and air rescues.
Emergency Minister Steph Cooke said poor conditions were hampering air rescues.
Just one of four RFS aircraft is able to be used and only intermittently.
Mr Perrottet toldresidents in non-flood prone areas to listen for advice and be prepared for the worst.
“What we are seeing today is unprecedented,” he said.
“Simply because your community has not flooded in the past, does not mean it will not flood over the course of this week.”
The mayor of Lismore labelled the situation “catastrophic”.
The Wilsons River reached 14.26 metres just before midday, breaking the city’s flood records.
Rosebank, near Lismore, was hit with 701mm of rain in the 24 hours to Monday morning.
The dramatic downpour is the highest daily total in NSW since 1954 and the highest rainfall total in Australia since 1998.
A red alert for people in the area below Rocky Creek Dam in Lismore has been issued by the NSW SES.
The city’s CBD has been inundated by floodwaters with levels reaching the second storey of dozens of buildings.
Evacuation orders are now in place Marshalls Creek, Billinudgel Ocean Shores, New Brighton, Brunswick Heads, South Golden Beach and low lying areas of Coraki.
People in Wilsons River, Lismore and areas of South Lismore are being told to leave.
Murwillumbah CBD and low-lying parts of Murwillumbah East have also been issued with evacuation orders.
The Wilsons River at #Lismore has now reached 14.2m, almost TWO METRES above the previous record of 12.27m from 1954.
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) February 28, 2022
Graph via @BOM_aupic.twitter.com/2o2hI3lUx8
Orders were earlier issued for the Lismore CBD, South Murwillumbah and Condong.
Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said despite the northern NSW region being well prepared for flooding, the height of the river “really took a lot of people by surprise”.
“It’s not an understatement to say it’s catastrophic,” he told Today.
“A lot of people stayed on and a lot of people felt that given previous floods in Lismore that their houses, at least their top level of their houses, would be a safe place and now even their top floors are under water.
“And I have been fielding calls from very distressed residents who are sitting on rooftops trying to get help. It’s diabolic.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the situation facing the region “very desperate”.
Residents woke to the sounds of sirens in the early hours of Monday morning as the levee exceeded 10.6m.
The area has been smashed with 406mm of rain between 9am on Sunday and Monday morning, while the nearby town of Dundoon was hit with 582mm.
âš ï¸ Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been updated. Severe thunderstorms with INTENSE RAINFALL and LIFE THREATENING FLOODING are continuing this morning about the Northern Rivers. Further details: https://t.co/Ss766eSCrLpic.twitter.com/6ys8LrUxog
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 27, 2022
The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting flood levels to peak at 13.5 metres at the Wilsons River on Monday evening, with data showing the highest recorded flood was 12.4 metres in 1880.
The bureau warns the river will smash the March 1974 record of 12.15m, which is far above the March 2017 peak of 11.59m.
SES Chief Superintendent Steve Patterson said more rain was predicted for areas across the Northern Rivers and mid-north coast.
“The predictions are that we will see about 150-250mm of rain within 24 hours across that widespread area,” he said.
The bureau is predicting major flooding for Murwillumbah and Tumbulgum, while the Clarence River at Grafton, Ulmarra and Maclean could reach levels similar to those seen in March last year.
Meanwhile, Casino has been warned to prepare for the possibility of flooding and possibly evacuation.
Conditions are worsening across the border in Queensland’s southeast, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk describing the carnage as “unpredictable as a cyclone”.
Seven people have died in the Queensland weather disaster after a 59-year-old man was sept away by floodwaters on Sunday afternoon.
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