Sydney floods: Flooding natural disaster declared in 23 NSW LGAs

A natural disaster has been declared in dozens of NSW LGAs as thousands of residents in the Hawkesbury and southwest Sydney were evacuated overnight amid the ongoing flood threat.

A state of natural disaster has been declared for dozens of NSW LGAs as torrential rain and major flooding smashes Greater Sydney and regional NSW.

At about 11pm on Tuesday Emergency Management Minister Muraay Watt declared a natural disaster in 23 NSW LGAs, with residents across Metropolitan Sydney, Hawkesbury, Central Coast and Illawarra eligible for disaster payments as widespread flooding continues to impact the state.

The LGAs include Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kiama, Lithgow, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, The Hills, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Wollongong.

“We have seen some of these impacted communities being hit by floods for a third and fourth time in 18 months, which is extremely distressing to the residents of these communities,” Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt said.

“The Australian and New South Wales governments have worked very cooperatively through this latest flood emergency, to ensure defence and other resources were deployed early and fast.

A car that was swamped by rising flood waters in Canley Vale as heavy rain causes flooding across Sydney. Picture: John Appleyard

“Similarly, we’re now working hard together to make sure that impacted communities get the financial and other assistance they need as soon as possible.”

It is the second natural disaster that the Australian Government has declared this year, following the devastating floods in February.

Assistance is being provided by through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the immediate support is crucial for people impacted in those areas and vowed to “work with communities to assess longer term recovery needs.”

On the condition of meeting certain criteria, the disaster payment may be available to people whose homes and belongings have been damaged by the recent floods, as well as businesses and affected local councils to help with recovery efforts.

It comes as parts of Ebenezer, Lower Portland, Chipping Norton, Mulgrave, Mulgrave South, Vineyard and all of McGraths Hill were ordered to evacuate now in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

SES Crew in flooded Church street, Cabramatta. as heavy rain causes flooding across Sydney. Picture: John Appleyard

Earlier, a minor to major flood warning had been issued for the Georges and Woronora Rivers, with parts of Liverpool and the eastern side of the Woronora river ordered to evacuate as the deluge continues to impact Sydney’s southwest.

Low lying parts of Woronora on eastern side of the river including Liffey Place, Thames Street and Prince Edward Park Road north of the bridge at the RSL have been told to evacuate by the NSW SES.

River levels at the Woronora Bridge late on Monday were higher than during the June 2016 flood event the Bureau of Meteorology has warned, with dangerous and rapid river rises observed.

Warwick Farm Racecourse and parts of Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, Moorebank and Lansvale were told to evacuate by 9PM.

Cars flooded in Church Street, Cabramatta. Picture: John Appleyard

‼ Flood Evacuation Order - Low lying parts of Woronora on eastern side of the river - Evacuate NOW ‼
- Liffey Place
- Thames Street and
- Prince Edward Park Road North of the bridge at the RSL
Visit https://t.co/FZooFaii4kpic.twitter.com/v12iT6yCiE

— NSW SES (@NSWSES) July 4, 2022

Hero firefighters have rescued a family of five – including a pregnant mother – from a car as menacing floodwaters swirled around them in southwest Sydney.

Fire and Rescue NSW said the fireys were sent to Revesby Heights where they found the family trapped in their car in the middle of a flooded intersection about 5.30pm on Monday.

A father, his pregnant wife and three children, all believed to be aged under six, were unable to leave the car due to the floodwaters lapping at the doors.

A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crew has saved a family of five, including a pregnant mother, from a car in floodwaters tonight at Revesby Heights.

A father, his pregnant wife and three children, all believed to be aged under six, were unable to leave the car due to the floodwaters lapping at their doors. Picture: FRNSW

The fire crew, who were fortunately trained in dangerous water rescues, carefully waded out to the car and fitted life jackets to the family.

They then safely carried the children in their arms as they guided the parents through the water to waiting relatives nearby. No-one was hurt in the incident.

At a bus stop on Sackville Road, Canley Vale, ambulance officers and SES Crew help residents of Freeman Avenue who had to evacuate their homes as flood waters began to rise. Picture: John Appleyard

Flooding in the streets saw SES volunteers rescue people from their cars. Picture: John Appleyard

Firefighters were also sent in to rescue residents of a southwestern Sydney aged care home that was flooding.

Fire and Rescue NSW said numerous trucks had been called to Prestons Lodge in Prestons on Monday evening following heavy falls across Sydney.

A spokesman for the agency said fireys were walking a number of residents out of the home.

More than 40 calls for help had been recorded in the area, the Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said.

Tho Thi Ngo, 72, next to her car that flood waters carried away into other parked cars. Picture: John Appleyard

Meanwhile, major flooding is occurring at Windsor, North Richmond, Menangle and Wallacia as heavy rain and spill from the Warragamba Dam continue to wreak havoc in river-adjacent Hawkesbury-Nepean communities.

Water came into homes on Freeman Avenue, leaving a muddy mess. Picture: John Appleyard

Along the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond river levels peaked at 14.18 metres early on Monday morning. The levels are slightly below the March 2021 flood level (14.38 metres) and higher than the March 2022 flood peak (14.08 metres).

The SES has also warned Plough and Harrow Dam residents to prepare to evacuate, after earlier giving the green light to return home with caution.

The following areas have been deemed high risk including; Palace Court adjacent to Windsor Road, Parts of Elizabeth Drive and parts of Cowpasture Road between Lizard Log and the Dairy Rec Park (within Western Sydney Parklands).

Warragamba Dam is currently overflowing with gigalitres of water pooling into majorly flooded northwest Sydney areas. The spill volume fell to 380 gigalitres per day on Monday, from a high of 515GL/day, while the dam recorded an inflow of 240GL/day earlier in the day.

Forecasters say that the worst is behind us, however, BOM’s recent Windsor flood warning states that flooding is only on the rise.

Residents look out toward flooded buildings next to the old Windsor Bridge along the overflowing Hawkesbury River on Monday July 4. Picture: Saeed Khan / AFP

NSW Rural Fire Service has deployed Megalong Valley RFB and South Katoomba RFB to assist NSW Police in setting up a flying fox system over a flooded causeway.

The system was used to supply ration packs to several isolated groups of campers.

Megalong Valley RFB and South Katoomba RFB have just finished assisting the @nswpolice to set up a flying fox system over a flooded causeway. The system was used to supply ration packs to several isolated groups of campers. #nswrfspic.twitter.com/iQO766p31K

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) July 4, 2022

It comes as thousands of residents in Sydney’s northwest are facing their third life-threatening flood emergency this year as the rampaging Hawkesbury River continues to rise above peak levels and isolate communities.

The North Richmond and Windsor bridges are underwater as major flooding occurs, threatening river levels to reach, or possibly exceed, those witnessed during the previous two floods periods.

Emergency services, including the SES, have worked tirelessly to respond to 3551 requests for help and rescue 116 people since the flooding event began.

Despite the east coast low weakening across the state, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned that up to 200mm of rain is likely to dump across Sydney’s coastline, Blue Mountains and parts of Illawarra today.

Residents watch as Windsor Bridge is consumed by water once again. Picture: John Grainger

“We will still have a wet day today even though the system is on a decline. A lot of places are still in the firing line of picking up a few hundred millimetres of rain,” BOM meteorologist Helen Reid said.

“We’re expecting the severe weather warnings … to reduce this evening (but) it’ll still be a wet day tomorrow.”

Daylight sees the Windsor Bridge under water and debris beginning to pile up on it. Picture: John Grainger

Ms Reid said Sydney will have dealt with the worst of the floods by this evening but advised that hazardous surf and gale warnings are in place for Sydney and Illawarra coasts until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Premier Dominic Perrottet said 32,000 people were impacted by 71 evacuation orders and 64 evacuation warnings – figures that are expected to rise during the week.

“I also want to thank our ADF for the work that they are doing on the ground. We currently have 100 ADF personnel are based in Northwest Sydney,” he said.

Dangerous weather conditions have also created rough seas. Perrottet said 21 people, who are part of a boat crew, were stuck in a bulk carrier near Wattamolla Beach and that the federal government was working to rescue them.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet at a press conference this morning. Picture: James Gourley

In Penrith, residents are bracing for a deluge with up to 150mm of rain.

Glenmore Park resident James was preparing to barricade his home from rising waters.

“It’s starting to get up a bit, it’s higher than it was last time,” he said.

“I don’t want to take too many (sandbags) in case someone else needs them.”

A damaged and abandoned car is seen taped off by the SES crew after being submerged in water yesterday at Chipping Norton. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

At 3:30am this morning, Pete Jackson of Emu Heights was woken up by a knock at the door from the RFS warning him to prepare to evacuate.

No preparation time was wasted at Regentville where resident Mohamad Slaibi, whose home has been impacted several times, grabbed sandbags to barricade his front door from water pooling on his property as rain pelted down.

“It’s just going to get worse, we’re expecting,” he said.

At the moment, all three major river crossings – the Yarramundi, Richmond and Windsor bridges – are closed. The Hawkesbury River has flowed over the “flood-resilient” Windsor Bridge, which opened in May 2020 and is built to withstand a one-in-three year flood.

Camden Petroleum is still under water after the Nepean River bursts it banks. Picture: Jonathan Ng

BoM’s Jane Golding said “a steady stream of showers” will continue again today around the Illawarra, Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast, and that the weather should begin to ease tomorrow.

“We did see some strong winds overnight affect the land areas, so around the 100km per hour in some locations and those winds are still affecting our coastal areas, our marine areas off the coast,” she said.

Ms Golding said the Windsor and Richmond communities remained at a high risk of riverine and flash flooding today.

“We are expecting major flooding to commence for Windsor this afternoon and Portland before it moves further downstream to Sackville and Wisemans Ferry tomorrow.”

A familiar sight in North St, Windsor. Picture: John Grainger

The Warragamba Dam is currently overflowing at a rate of 240 gigalitres with an inflow rate of 380 gigalitres, which is expected to rise throughout the day.

Locals this morning stood by the banks of the river and watched as tonnes of debris, including farm equipment, bean bags, branches and barrels, raced downriver past the bridge.

Among the hardest hit were the homeowners on North St, Windsor, where the lower levels of many properties are now under water.

Residents in Windsor. Picture: John Grainger

Residents with their homes on the market were reluctant to be put on record after previous media coverage of the February and March floods frightened off buyers.

One woman who is currently looking to sell her property said she had “lost two sales because of it”.

“All people do is just google our street or the floods and old photos (of the flooded property) appear.”

Despite the bleak situation, the Windsor locals made light of the disaster.

Children were seen canoeing up and down the street as their parents finishing off evacuation packing.

It comes after hundreds of Sydney residents were forced to flee their homes overnight as torrential rain hammered the region.

They largely affected communities along the Hawkesbury, Nepean and Georges rivers, and residents in low-lying areas on the lower Hawkesbury, downstream of Wisemans Ferry.

A local drives on Arndell St, Windsor on Monday morning. Picture: John Grainger

The canines of Windsor aren’t too pleased about the floods, again. Picture: John Grainger

Seven evacuation centres have been set up across northwestern and western Sydney and near the Sutherland Shire where about 180 people are housed, while another 68 people are in emergency accommodation.

“Follow all the safety advice given to you by emergency services. Limit any unnecessary travel (and) make sure you’ve secured loose items across your properties,” SES spokesperson Andrew Edmunds said.

“We’ve got a large contingency (of SES volunteers and staff). They’ve been incredibly active. They’ve been working around the clock and will continue to be supported.

“During the day, we’re expecting to see the low-pressure trough track north towards the Hunter, but hopefully conditions will ease as days go on.”

Originally published as Sydney floods: Flooding natural disaster declared in 23 NSW LGAs