NSW floods crisis: Residents left high and far from dry

At least 30,000 Sydneysiders have fled their homes, with some evacuations continuing overnight and major flood warnings in place for the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers.

SES personnel rescue a motorist at Windsor. Picture: NSW SES

At least 30,000 Sydneysiders have fled their homes, with some evacuations continuing overnight and major flood warnings in place for the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers, as residents of northwest Sydney grappled with a third flood emergency this year.

While floodwaters in parts of NSW had peaked by Monday afternoon, major flooding was ­occurring at Windsor, with river levels possibly reaching March 2021 and March 2022 levels.

Other major flooding was hitting North Richmond, Menangle and Wallacia.

A severe weather warning was issued for Sydney, Illawarra and parts of the Hunter and Central Tablelands, with damaging winds and heavy rainfall predicted.

On Monday night, 74 evacuation orders and 64 evacuation warnings remained in place around the state. Emergency services responded to 4300 calls for assistance, with more than 140 rescues undertaken.

Although residents in some areas of Sydney were being told they could return home “with caution”, the State Emergency Service was advising residents in Sandy Point, Lower Portland and Wisemans Ferry on Monday night to evacuate, with moderate flooding forecast for areas on the south coast including St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet.

The heavy rain is expected to move north by Tuesday, with the central coast and Hunter regions likely to experience major falls.

 

A severe weather warning was in place for the central NSW coast, with damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

The NSW government was expected to declare a natural disaster, which would trigger relief measures such as individual payments and infrastructure repairs, but federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the floods would not be declared a national emergency at this stage.

More than 200 Australian Defence Force personnel were deployed to assist in rescues, including some in armoured Bushmaster vehicles that arrived in McGraths Hill in northwestern Sydney to help residents trapped in their homes.

SES personnel rescue a motorist at Windsor. Picture: Getty Images

An operation to save a stricken cargo vessel in wild seas off the coast of the Royal National Park appeared to have succeeded by Monday evening, following fears the ship could have caused a major ecological disaster if it were to run aground.

Three tugs from Sydney moved the ship further out to sea in the 8m swell, where it was hoped repairs could be done to an engine that failed as the ship left Port Kembla on Monday morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology said 152mm of rain fell over the Sydney area from 9am Monday.

Though weather conditions in Sydney were gradually improving, SES Acting Deputy Commissioner Nicole Hogan pleaded with people not to drive through floodwaters, the major cause of many life-threatening incidents. “If you are in a flood-prone area and undertaking travel that is not for essential purposes, we ask you reconsider travel plans,” she said.

 

Warragamba Dam was overflowing on Monday but the spill rate had fallen to 240 gigalitres a day, less than half of Sunday’s high of 515 GL/day.

The BOM said major flooding might develop along the Hawkesbury River at Sackville, Lower Portland and Wisemans Ferry, with levels likely to be lower than March 2022 flood levels.

Major flooding was occurring along the Upper Nepean at Men­angle and Wallacia. Moderate flooding was occurring at Camden. The Hawkesbury River at Windsor was expected to reach 13.30m on Monday night into Tuesday, with major flooding.

Moderate flooding was occurring along the Colo River.