Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred: Northern NSW residents warned to prepare for flood threats

Wild weather continues in northern NSW with further heavy rain and major flooding on the way as more than 10,000 homes and businesses remain without power.

Communities in northern NSW are being urged to stay vigilant as the fallout of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred brings heavy rain and major flooding, with more than 10,000 homes and businesses still without power.

At least 1800 residents are isolated and emergency services have undertaken multiple flood rescues, with more wild weather on the way for the north of the state.

More than 135 flood warnings are in place as massive rainfall is expected across the Northern Rivers, North West Slopes and Plains, Northern Tablelands and parts of Mid North Coast Forecast Districts – with a top of 270 millimetres of rain in the last 24 hours recorded in the Border Ranges.

Premier Chris Minns said more rain was on the way as the weather pattern remained “unpredictable”, with emergency services focusing on the possible flooding of the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Rivers.

“We don’t want to alarm people but that is something certainly that everybody is watching very closely over the next day,” Mr Minns told the media on Monday morning.

“I understand from friends in the Northern Rivers that many businesses in Lismore are getting ready to open their doors and trade as soon as possible, which is fantastic news. We can’t wait to see those communities back on their feet as soon as possible.

“You can’t do that without electricity,” he said, adding Essential Energy had been working around the clock to reconnect a large number of homes and businesses over the last three days, bringing the total down from a high of 43,000 to just under 10,000.

Mr Minns warned communities of a number of downed power lines across the Northern Rivers region, urging those who come across one to stay away from it and contact emergency services.

“We don’t want anybody at the latter stages of this emergency to be in serious peril at the result of a downed power line,” the Premier said.

“If it is still active, they haven’t been able to isolate and switch off the power, it remains incredibly dangerous – so please look for downed power lines (and) report them if you see them.”

The SES has received 1100 calls for help in the last 24 hours, 18 of those being flood rescues, as over 3000 volunteers continue to work alongside communities in the wake of Alfred.

NSW SES Commissioner Damian Johnson said the “vast majority” of residents were heeding severe weather warnings as he warned against travelling through floodwaters.

“It is dangerous. You don’t know what is beneath it and you only need a small amount of water to carry a car away,” Mr Johnson said.

“Don’t think just because the warnings have been lifted you can drive through floodwaters and ignore those risks.

“I understand the community’s urgency with getting back into their homes. We want to make sure we can do that as soon as possible and we are working quickly to remove warnings to make it safe to do so,” he added.

“There can be lots of hazards resulting from flood waters, whether that be flooding or flash flooding, there can be contaminants in water, can be debris, roads can be damaged, and also make sure that you assess the electrical damage as well – get a qualified electrician if you are uncertain to make sure that your home is safe from those risks.”

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding flagged rain across northern NSW for the next couple of days, which she said is expected to ease by this afternoon.

“The risk of heavy rains and heavy totals is really just this morning and afternoon, so that is some good news,” Ms Golding added.

“We are expecting rain to ease from this afternoon, but still not clear most likely until Thursday or Friday.”

Thunderstorm activity is expected in Lismore and the western slopes of the ranges, and riverine flooding from Moree down to about Tamworth and surrounds.

A number of evacuation centres will begin to close their doors as notices are lifted and things return to “normal”, Premier Minns added, with many of them, originally community centres, clubs or university facilities, to be “returned” to the community.

“When the immediate threat of the storm is no longer felt by the community, we will not continue to operate them, and as the day wears on, we will be closing down evacuation centres once the SES believes the threat to the local community has been lifted,” he said.

Emergency grants are expected to be announced later today.