As it happened: Western Sydney residents given all-clear to return home as extreme weather event continues across state; South Coast told to prepare for heavy rainfall

Thank you for joining us today for our live coverage of the NSW floods. It’s time to say good night. Our live coverage continues on Tuesday but for now, here’s a summary of the major events today.

• The NSW SES said in excess of 18,000 people statewide have been ordered to evacuate. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said around 15,000 people have been evacuated from homes on the north coast and around 3000 in the Richmond Valley region.
• There were 1485 requests for assistance made in the 24 hours to Monday night and 125 flood rescues, including 70 in the Sydney area.
• Parts of western Sydney, including Penrith and Jamisontown, were issued all-clear messages and residents were allowed to return home. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned further rises of the Nepean River are possible with forecast rainfall.
• The Insurance Council of Australia declared an insurance catastrophe after more than 5000 claims were lodged over the weekend following extreme rain and flooding across Sydney and broader New South Wales.
• Powerhouse Parramatta bosses defended the museum’s site following its weekend flooding, saying water levels “would not have come within four metres” of the future building’s entrance.
• The SES is “gearing up teams” from Wollongong south to the border, after the Bureau of Meteorology warned South Coast residents to expect 200 to 300 millimetres of rain.
• A spokesman from Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office said Emergency Management Australia had received an official request for assistance from the NSW government for two search and rescue helicopters, based out of the South Coast for 24-hour operations. He said the ADF will provide this service from tomorrow.

The Bureau of Meteorology has shared a map on social media of flood watch and warning zones in eastern Australia, overlaid with rain radars.

“You can see rain still falling in flood areas, with more forecast for coming days,” the bureau said.

A severe weather warning for damaging winds, heavy rainfall, abnormally high tides and damaging surf applies to forecast districts across NSW and the ACT.

This includes: Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Hunter, Metropolitan, Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, Upper Western, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Tablelands, and parts of the South West Slopes and Lower Western forecast disctricts.

Powerhouse Parramatta bosses have defended the museum’s site following its weekend flooding, saying water levels “would not have come within four metres” of the future building’s entrance.

A flood warning was issued on Saturday for the ground floor of the four-level car park that’s to be demolished to make way for the museum, sparking renewed criticism around the contentious development.

Men struggle to lift a fallen fence that surrounds the Powerhouse Museum site, impacted by the Parramatta River. Credit: Dylan Coker

But Peter Collins, president of the Powerhouse Trust, said the weekend’s flooding proved that the new museum was “positioned well above even the rarest of flood events”.

“The flooding we saw on the weekend wouldn’t have come within four metres of the museum entrance,” he said.

“Powerhouse Parramatta will be a very safe building for people to visit and for the collection to be exhibited.”

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A pregnant woman in labour was flown to hospital this afternoon after floodwaters blocked the route by road in North Richmond.

The NSW SES has tonight advised major flooding is current at North Richmond.

“Renewed moderate flooding is possible along the Nepean River at Penrith and further rises are possible with forecast rainfall,” the Bureau of Meteorology said in an update at 7.49pm. “Major flooding is occurring along the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond and Windsor. Major flooding is expected at Sackville and downstream from late Monday.

“The Hawkesbury River at North Richmond (WPS) is currently at 13.11 metres and steady with major flooding. Renewed rises are possible with forecast rainfall.”

The 37-year-old pregnant woman was with NSW Ambulance Paramedics when the river flooding prevented the crew from crossing.

A pregnant woman in labour was airlifted to hospital after floodwaters blocked the road.Credit: CareFlight Media

CareFlight’s Rapid Response Helicopter, tasked at 3.50pm, landed 20 minutes later on Beaumont Avenue, North Richmond.

The woman was taken into the care of CareFlight’s specialist doctor and a NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic before she was assessed and airlifted to Nepean Hospital in a stable condition, with ongoing monitoring from the clinical team.

The river flooding, as seen from the helicopter. Credit: CareFlight Media

Parts of Queensland are also experiencing a drenching, with more rain expected to inundate the state’s south-east on Tuesday.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said the worst of the weather was expected to develop overnight, with 169 millimetres expected to fall in six hours in some regions.

Deception Bay received 50 millimetres, Horse Crossing copped 80 millimetres, Carbrook had 88 millimetres and Upper Springbrook received 75 millimetres within about eight hours on Monday.

Bulimba Creek has flooded in Brisbane.Credit: Angela Egan

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Our photographers have spent another day capturing the deluge and devastation across NSW.

Here are some of the stirring images filed by The Sydney Morning Herald photographers on Monday, as some communities start the arduous clean-up and others wait for the floodwaters to go down.

Treacy Bugeja looks at her flooded downstairs. Credit: Nick Moir

Kate Connell cleans out her flood damaged home after rising waters entered from Peach Tree Creek. Credit: Wolter Peeters

Floodwaters in Mulgrave still rising from the flooding Hawkesbury River.Credit: Nick Moir

Lincoln Delaforce in his kayak in Port Macquarie. Credit: Matt Gilligan / SMH

Scenes from Windsor today as families evacuate. Credit: Dean Sewell

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The Australian Defence Force will support the NSW flood emergency efforts from Tuesday.

“Emergency Management Australia have received an official request for assistance from NSW,” a spokesman from the Prime Minister’s office said.

“The request is for two search and rescue helicopters operating out of the NSW south coast for 24-hour operations. ADF will be able to provide this support and will commence service tomorrow.”

Emergency Management Australia is a division of the Department of Home Affairs.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said they expected a formal request to be made from the NSW government.

“We understand this is likely to be for recovery support and clean-up operations, including personnel, vehicles and machinery,” he said. “The Premier [Gladys Berejiklian] and I were discussing that over the weekend.”

He said the ADF was “readying itself for this task that still lays ahead”.

“Particularly in the recovery phase,” Mr Morrison said. “It is working closely with NSW Emergency Services to co-ordinate potential areas for assistance.”

A resident of Port Macquarie’s north shore has been filmed dragging a stingray through floodwaters after it swam into a garage.

On Facebook, Willow Rissel said: “Tate pulling a stingray from the front lawn!”

She said they have “so much damage” to their house.

“We have lived here for more than 20 years and never seen anything like this before,” Ms Rissel said.

Residents at Rickabys Creek, Clarendon, which flows into the Hawkesbury River, are also being advised to prepare to evacuate.

“The warning area covers the properties on the immediate end of Rickabys Road to the west of Rickabys Creek,” the NSW SES evacuation warning states.

“Once floodwater enters at 20.05m, escape routes will be cut and you will be forced to
evacuate on foot. If you remain in the area, you may become trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you.”

An evacuation order will be issued by the NSW SES if required and an evacuation centre has been set up at Castle Hill RSL, 77 Castle Street, Castle Hill.

Hawkesbury River flooding in nearby Windsor.Credit: Nick Moir

In addition to the earlier severe weather warning, the Bureau of Meteorology says around 10 million Australians, across every mainland state and territory except for Western Australia, are subject to a weather warning.

The bureau said warnings for heavy rain, damaging winds and heavy surf “cover a size area similar to Alaska”, the largest state in the United States.