Evacuations amid ‘blue sky’ flooding in NSW

The body of a Sydney man has been found in floodwaters as inland NSW prepares for record flooding over the next few days.

The Lachlan River at Forbes. Picture: Mollie Gorman

More than 1000 people across the Forbes Shire have been told to evacuate as inland NSW ­prepares for record “blue sky flooding”.

Forbes is expected to surpass the record June 1952 flood level when the Iron Bridge River hits 10.8m on Friday. The Lachlan River at Iron Bridge has already flooded four or five times this year, according to the SES.

Hundreds are expected to cram into the evacuation centre at Forbes High School when it opens on Friday morning.

Residents of north Gunnedah, north Wagga Wagga and Gumly Gumly have also been told to evacuate, despite blue skies and light showers across the state.

An SES volunteer helping to relocate livestock stranded in the Forbes floods.

“Even though the rain has stopped, we will be seeing renewed river level rises because the ground is soaked, the dams are full, and the water is making its way downstream,” said Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore.

It comes as police divers located the body of a Sydney man who had been in the back of a ute when it was swept of the road in floodwaters in central NSW on Monday night.

Another man who was in the ute tray is still missing and a police search continues.

The State Emergency Service has carried out 14 flood rescues in the southern and western parts of the state in the past 24 hours, the majority people driving through floodwaters.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries rescued 1200 sheep stranded on an “island” between the Lachlan River and Carrawobitty Creek via more than 130 separate helicopter trips.

The BOM is also warning of major flooding along most of the rivers in inland NSW, with authorities concerned about Gundagai, Condobolin and Moama.

Don Ridley, who owns a farm with his wife, Elizabeth, in Corinella, about 50km west of Forbes, said “I’m walking along the bank now to figure out if it will hold and I’m looking at what not only me, but what my neighbour has to lose, what five other farmers have to lose.

“We’ve got banks that protect thousands of hectares of crops, half a million worth, and if our bank blows, it’s all down the gurgler … I’ve got 2500 acres of wheat, canola and barley, 5000 sheep, 500 cattle to keep out of floodway.”