SES hit with 447 calls for help amid rain bomb
Written by admin on June 7, 2024
Flood warnings have been issued for multiple parts of NSW’s east coast, as the state continues to be smashed by heavy rains.
Overnight, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) were hit with 447 calls for help, including nearly 50 flood rescues.
WaterNSW also confirmed Warragamba Dam has begun spilling as of 4.20am Friday.
Areas in NSW’s south coast could be battered by up to isolated falls of up to 130mm in the next Thursday.
Between 9am Thursday to 5am Friday Cringila has been hit with 206mm, Port Kembla was smashed with 197mm, and drenchings of 146mm in Wollongong.
Between 8am Thursday to 1am Friday, the NSW SES Wollongong Unit responded to 27 rescues and 110 other incidents.
A weakening trough will continue to bring rain to the Illawarra and South Coast regions throughout Friday, before conditions are forecast to ease in the evening.
Minor to moderate flood warnings are also active at Menangle Bridge, Penrith, North Richmond and Windsor, as authorities nervously monitoring the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers.
The Bureau of Meteorology reports the Hawkesbury Nepean Valley was pummelled by up to 147 totals in the 24 hours up to 5am Friday, with more heavy rainfall on the way.
Homes in Menangle in NSW’s Macarthur region are under a ‘Watch and Act’ notice, with floodwaters at Menangle Bridge expected to hit 9.2m on Friday morning, and 10m by midday.
Low-lying homes in Picton’s CBD and Stone Quarry Creek have also been told to prepare to evacuate.
The NSW SES advices people to close monitor the constantly changing situation, and avoid flood waters.
Parts of Penrith in Sydney’s west could also be hit with minor flooding from midday, with the Nepean River expected to reach 3.9m.
https://x.com/BOM_NSW/status/1798553352319402369
Since 9am Thursday, Sydney’s Observatory Hill has recorded 56.2mm of rain.
Minor flooding may also occur at the Cooks River at Tempe Bridge in the city’s south, with high evening tides expected for Friday evening.
The neighbouring suburb of Windsor and its surrounds could be hit by rising water levels from Friday evening, with the Hawkesbury River forecast to reach minor flood levels (5.8m) on Friday night, and moderate flood levels of 7m by Saturday morning.
Drivers in Sydney’s southern suburbs have also been put on notice. The Bureau warned flooded roads and reduced visibility will lead to dangerous driving conditions, and urged motorists to take “extreme care” ahead of the long weekend.
However a better forecast is expected to clear the rain from Saturday and Sunday.
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