Four defence helicopters are assisting State Emergency Services with rescues as NSW faces warnings of flash flooding, with dams at 100 per cent capacity and rivers full.
Major flooding hit the Macquarie, Darling, Culgoa and Lachlan rivers, and multiple inland catchment areas face risk of inundation, as forecasters warn 90mm downpours could hit some areas in Greater Sydney.
NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters and police rescued a person trapped on the roof of their vehicle in fast-flowing water in the Illawarra on Saturday.Credit: NSW RFS Illawarra District
Damaging gusts exceeding 90 km/h could lash the coast from the Hunter to the Illawarra as the low moves off the coast late Saturday and early Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.
Minor to major flood warnings were issued along the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers on Saturday night. The bureau said major flooding could swamp Putty Road in Sydney’s northwest on Sunday morning and flooding is also expected in Menangle, North Richmond, Windsor, Wallacia, Penrith, Sackville and Lower Portland.
Putty, north-west of Sydney, recorded 79mm of rainfall in the six hours to 8pm and Vincentia, in Jervis Bay, recorded 82mm of rainfall in the three hours to 8.15pm.
The SES carried out six flood rescues and received more than 300 calls for help during the day as a low-pressure system approached.
The SES has 500 volunteers and 10 helicopters on standby around the state, along with four ADF helicopters stationed at Holsworthy, Williamtown and Parkes.
The RFS are assisting rescue operations into the night. A man whose car had been swamped by fast-moving floodwater on a causeway in the Illawarra was saved by a heavy tanker.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said saturated grounds and at-capacity dams and rivers had increased the chance of flash flooding.
“We are expecting overnight heavy rainfall on the east coast of Sydney as it moves up from the west ... so there is significant risk of flash flooding right across our state,” he said.
“We currently have a situation where our dams are full, our rivers are full, so, with heavy rain expected, we ask everybody to continue to be cautious.”
Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said a number of areas across the state should expect to see flooding.
“We are only eight days into the storm season and unfortunately we are seeing flooding continuing across NSW, which continues to impact on our rural, regional and remote communities. It is expected to do so for weeks and, in fact, months ahead.”
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding said the rain will begin easing by noon on Sunday, with some sunshine forecast for the start of the week.
NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York warned the flood danger would continue on Monday as river levels peak.
Clouds roll in across Sydney.Credit: James Alcock
“The rains will pass and the sun will come out but the rivers may still be rising ... The risk doesn’t go away just because the weather’s fine.”
Motor racing at Mount Panorama was suspended after a downpour flooded the racetrack, and horse races at Randwick were postponed after jockeys voiced concern about the state of the track.
Ahead of the forecast heavy rains, NSW Police activated the State Emergency Operations Centre at Homebush.
The State Emergency Operations Controller, Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter Cotter, said police are prepared and ready to respond during this evolving situation.
“As we work closely with the SES and other emergency services, we ask the community to work with us and follow any directions they are given,” Cotter said.
“Those in flood-prone areas are urged to avoid essential travel and drive to the conditions on the roads. Please obey road closures and remember, if it’s flooded, forget it.”
Angus Dalton, Lucy Rickard, Sally Rawsthorne and AAP
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