Flood threat remains despite easing conditions along NSW northern coast
Communities along the northern NSW coastline remain on high alert for flash flooding as rain continues to fall on saturated ground, with evacuation orders in place for about 1000 residents despite easing conditions.
A severe weather warning for heavy rain and abnormally high tides stretches from just north of the Hunter all the way to the Queensland border on Wednesday morning.
The trough over northern NSW, which has dumped more than half a metre of rain on some areas since the weekend is weakening as it moves south, but the threat of dangerous flash floods continues amid persistent showers and thunderstorms forecast over coming days.
NSW SES spokeswoman Stephanie Heard said the service had received 1700 calls for help since the weather event started, including 95 on Tuesday night. Most calls had been for leaking and damaged roofs due to the heavy rain, along with some uprooted trees and "a lot of requests for sandbags".
There had also been 24 flood rescues in total, she said.
Evacuation orders issued for about 1000 residents along the Tweed River around Tumbulgum and Condong on Tuesday remained in place, Ms Heard said, and rapid assessment teams are set to assess the damage on Wednesday amid receding floodwaters.
Flood water at the Tweed River at Chinderah in northern NSW. Credit:Josh Dye
With Wednesday's focus on the Mid North Coast, the weather bureau has issued moderate to major flood warnings for the Bellinger and Kalang rivers and moderate warnings for the Orara and Nambucca rivers.
Another three evacuation warnings are in place, including one that may impact 16 properties in Macksville on the Nambucca River, issued late on Tuesday night.
Another high tide due about 10am on Wednesday is expected to contribute to potential flooding for parts of the Mid North Coast.
"We're watching what happens with the high tide and seeing if any low lying areas are inundated," Ms Heard said. "We're seeing really saturated catchments … still getting some more rain."
Justin Robinson, national flood services manager for NSW at the Bureau of Meteorology, said the flood situation was "evolving".
"Even though the rainfall is starting to ease, it doesn’t mean the flood situation is easing," he said. "We still have that flood water coming down through those river systems."
A truck driver on his way from Dorrigo to Bellingen shot dramatic footage of a waterfall that suddenly overflowed ahead of him on Tuesday morning, forcing him to halt his vehicle for three hours.
On Tuesday afternoon, Agata Imielska, a manager at the bureau, said Bellingen had recorded 251mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday and up to 100mm in the space of an hour.
With Esther Han
Jenny Noyes is a journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald.