Floods still a threat in NSW

TOUGH WEEK AHEAD

MAJOR flooding continued to threaten western NSW on Sunday as residents took stock after the worst flood in more than 70 years.

Major flooding is still occurring in the town of Forbes, where the Lachlan River peaked at 10.66m on Saturday evening, just slightly below the June 1952 level.

The heightened water level is expected to linger for days, leaving thousands of residents unable to return to their homes.

An evacuation order for more than 1000 people has been in place since Wednesday, with another 300 beds added to the town’s evacuation centre on Saturday.

As of Saturday afternoon, there had been 10 flood rescues and more than 230 calls for help in the previous 24 hours.

While the rain might have cleared for now, residents were told that blue skies should not be cause for calm.

Many catchments across central NSW are not expected to peak until later in the week, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning that some rivers could continue rising all month.

There were 18 emergency evacuation orders in place across the region, more than 100 warnings, and nine major flood warnings in the state’s west.

NSW emergency services Minister Steph Cooke said the worst was not yet behind the region. “We are continuing to see multiple flood risks across multiple river systems and communities,” she said.

“While we are experiencing a reprieve in the weather … the risk has not abated.”

Parts of the central west were still without gas and being urged to conserve their supply after floodwaters caused widespread disruption.

Forbes residents were being urged to boil their water until further notice.

The army is on standby for the clean-up, which is expected to begin once the river subsides below the major level.

Along the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, the town experienced moderate flooding although the water level was falling.

The town of Warren is expected to continue to face major flooding for “the next few days” as the Macquarie River experiences renewed rises, while nearby Dubbo was experiencing minor flooding.

Along the Barwon and Darling rivers, Mungindi, Mogil Mogil and Walgett were all experiencing major flooding.