Evacuations urged as hundreds rescued amid vast deluge
The extreme wet weather impacting NSW is forecast to “ramp up” on Thursday and could turn “deadly” – with another 200 millimetres to smash flooded communities.
The one-in-500-year flooding has stranded 48,000 people in the mid-north coast, north coast and Hunter, with residents warned to prepare for long periods of isolation, while others are urged to evacuate.
It comes as police confirmed the body of a 63-year-old man had been found at a flood-affected property at Moto on Wednesday in the Manning-Great Lakes district.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state should brace for “more tough news”.
“It’s a tight-knit community on the mid north coast and to lose anyone in natural disasters is obviously horrifying, so I’m very sorry for that man’s passing,” said Minns on ABC’s News Breakfast on Thursday morning.
“We should be bracing for more tough news in the next 24 hours.”
There were almost 300 flood rescues on Wednesday, including helicopters lifting stranded occupants off their roofs to safety in the Hunter and mid-north coast regions.
The weather bureau said up to 400 millimetres fell in two days – equivalent to four months of rain – but the danger was not over.
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A severe weather warning has been issued for more torrential rain on Thursday across already soaked towns and cities, including Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and up to Grafton.
Another 200 millimetres could fall on areas between Yamba and Forster, creating a “deadly” flooding situation, warned meteorologist Dean Narramore.
“Unfortunately, further heavy rainfall is on the way,” he said.
“Intense falls could lead to localised, dangerous and deadly flooding.”
Record-breaking floods in Taree came from a staggering 412 millimetres of rain in two days, as the Manning River peaked at 6.4 metres and inundated businesses across the town.
“[That] is essentially five times the monthly rainfall for May for Taree,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Steve Bernasconi said.
“In essence, it’s received one-third of its average annual rainfall in two days.”
Tens of thousands of people are isolated, while hundreds have been rescued from disastrous flooding as intense rainfall continues.
Some 115 warnings were in place on Wednesday night, with local residents in the path of flooding urged to head to higher ground and evacuate if they could.
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SES Commissioner Michael Wassing said rescue conditions had been difficult and dangerous, especially during the night.
“I cannot stress enough that it is important to heed the warnings of evacuations,” he said.
“I cannot guarantee that our crews will be able to immediately rescue people.”
“Super saturated” river catchments were responding quickly to the rain.
“We continue to see localised flash flooding wherever there is intense rainfall,” Wassing said.
High Street in Wallalong goes under water. Photo: AAP
The SES made more than 300 flood rescues on Wednesday, using helicopters to winch stranded residents off their roofs.
Volunteers have door-knocked in high-risk areas and streets where every home has been cut off by floodwaters to check on remaining residents.
Farmers have lost livestock washed away by floodwaters.
Others are working to help get some of them back, taking to community Facebook pages to track down owners for cattle that have washed up on their properties.
Evacuation centres are open at Dungog, Gloucester, Taree, Manning Point, Wingham, Bulahdelah, Tuncurry Beach, Kempsey and Port Macquarie.
Record floodwaters in Taree. Photo: AAP
Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the Commonwealth was working with the NSW government to provide support in 16 local government areas.
“These floods and severe weather are having a huge impact on communities,” she said.
The Insurance Council of Australia said the flooding could be catastrophic, with significant flooding in similar areas in 2022.
“We are closely monitoring the severe weather across the entire state,” council chief executive Andrew Hall said.
