NSW and Queensland flooding: four rescued as torrential rain batters states
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Version 0 of 1. Four people have been rescued from rising waters overnight as torrential thunderstorms continue to soak northern New South Wales and parts of south-east Queensland, causing flash flooding. Emergency crews in NSW received more than 80 calls for help on Wednesday night, mainly for leaky roofs, as heavy rain drenched the north and mid-north coast regions, from Taree to Lismore. The NSW State Emergency Services spokesperson, Sue Pritchard, said 16 people had been rescued since Sunday. “Most of the jobs are people who have driven into flood water, or tried to cross a road which has flooded,” Pritchard said. The week started with intense thunderstorms when an upper-level low-pressure system interacted with warm, moist air flowing in from the Tasman Sea. Severe storms produced damaging winds, flooding rain and large hail in parts of Queensland and NSW. Weatherzone meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the worst-hit areas were the NSW mid-north coast and northern rivers area, from Taree to Cape Byron, with widespread rain in excess of 100mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Thursday. “It’s pretty rare to see falls that heavy for such a wide area at this time of year for such a long stretch of coastline,” Sharpe said. Flash flooding expected in northern NSW with heavy rainfaill to hit Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Grafton and Port Macquarie #NSWWeather #NSWstorm pic.twitter.com/gLJcUMeKeW The town of Sawtell, 500km north of Sydney, received 250mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Thursday. Smokey Cape, 450km north of Sydney, had its heaviest March rainfall in 43 years, recording 180mm in the 24 hours to 9am. Port Macquarie received 166mm of rain, the heaviest in 10 years for any month, Sharpe said. A brief respite was forecast in those areas on Thursday before a low-pressure system brought further rain on Friday and Saturday to the northern rivers and mid-north coast, gradually moving towards the Queensland border. The Bureau of Meteorology issued flood warnings for 11 river valleys including at Richmond, the Clarence River, the Coffs coast and at Nambucca. Janelle & her son Ben sit in their flooded backyard in Sawtell, south of #CoffsHarbour @ABCNSW @ABCemergency @NSWSES pic.twitter.com/DrXMXs2S90 Sydney did not escaped the wet weather, with Penrith in the city’s west recording its wettest March day in 20 years on Wednesday, with 55mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am. Rain and showers were set to continue in the metropolitan area until Saturday, with winds increasing on Friday. Heavy rainfall was also predicted in the Hunter, Illawarra and central tablelands, from the Blue Mountains west. Widespread heavy rain has affected coastal parts of SE QLD and NE NSW over the past 48 hours. pic.twitter.com/fdMUc7pMO1 Emergency services were warning drivers not to enter flood waters. “The main message we are really pushing is not be tempted to drive into flood water. If you come across a flooded road turn around and find another route,” Pritchard said. Research by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre shows 79% of people who die in floodwater are men, with young men under 29 most at risk. Forty-five per cent of flood fatalities happen when people attempt to cross a flooded road, causeway or bridge. Australian Associated Press contributed to this report |