05.07.2022
5 min read

Thousands more evacuated, disaster funding announced as Sydney’s flood crisis worsens

With significant rainfall totals over many catchments in the past three days, some areas are expected to exceed flood levels of recent disasters.

Sydney flooding emergency intensifies

Thousands more residents were told to leave their homes overnight as an onslaught of rain continues to cause a flooding emergency across greater Sydney.

Immediate evacuation orders were issued by New South Wales authorities for people in Vineyard, Mulgrave South, Mulgrave, McGraths Hill and Chipping Norton around midnight on Monday and into Tuesday morning.

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Scores of evacuation orders and warnings had earlier been declared, mostly northwest of Sydney, where major flooding is occurring along the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers at Menangle, North Richmond, Lower Portland and Windsor.

There are now 98 evacuation orders and 60 warnings covering 45,000 people in place - up from the 32,000 affected on Monday - for the emergency that now stretches from the Central Coast to the Illawarra.

Joint disaster funding has been announced for 23 local government areas in Sydney and parts of NSW for people in flood-hit communities.

A NSW State Emergency Service crew in a rescue boat as roads are submerged under floodwater from the swollen Hawkesbury River. Credit: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

With significant rainfall totals over many catchments in the past three days, some areas are expected to approach or exceed flood levels reached in recent extreme weather events in March 2021, and March and April of this year.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the east coast low is expected to weaken, which should ease rainfall.

But the risk of major flooding remains across parts of NSW as the severe floods inundate whole communities.

About 100 millimetres of rain could fall in the next 24 hours stretching from Newcastle to southern Sydney.

Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the federal and NSW governments were working together to ensure affected areas get financial and other assistance as soon as possible.

“We have seen some of these impacted communities being hit by floods for a third and fourth time in 18 months, which is extremely distressing to the residents,” he said.

The federal government is considering more requests from NSW to support flood-affected communities ahead of a visit later this week by the prime minister.

The NSW Minister for Emergency Services Steph Cooke, said significant recovery support would be required to help communities once the major weather event passes.

Thousands of people have been displaced by the natural disaster. Credit: 7NEWS

“While we are still very much in the emergency response phase of this developing weather event, as waters recede we will work with communities to assess longer term recovery needs and ensure appropriate long-term support is provided”, Cooke said.

Camden, in Sydney’s far southwest, has received 197.4 mm for the month to date, with residents enduring their fourth flood this year already.

Meanwhile, the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond may remain around 14m until Tuesday morning, with major flooding expected.

Showery conditions for the battered coast are forecast for the rest of the week, extending to the northern part of the state, which is still reeling from recording-breaking floods in February, March and April.

But the weather bureau says Northern Rivers residents can breathe easy as the showers are not expected to lead to more flooding.

The relentless rains of the past week add to Sydney’s wettest year on record, says Weather Zone.

Sydney’s Observatory Hill weather station amassed 148.6 mm of rain over the span of four days, bringing the city’s annual total to almost 1700mm.

Assistance provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements has been announced for the LGAs of: Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kiama, Lithgow, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, The Hills, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Wollongong.

SES responds to ‘hoax’ call for help

Meanwhile, SES Commissioner Carlene York cofirmed in a press conference on Tuesday that volunteers were forced to respond to a hoax call, where someone had pretended to be on a roof and in need of rescuing.

“It turned out to be a hoax. What happens is because it’s to save a life, we target our resources and try to get there to save the person,” she said.

“It means we take them away from other areas.”

During the update, she also implored residents in flood-affected communities to be prepared to leave.

“Now, these levels that we saw overnight were equal to around the 1988 flood levels in that area on the Woronora,” she said.

“I know that some people might have moved into the area, some people think that they’re experienced in floods, but I think this shows the importance, when we’re given an evacuation order, the importance of leaving the area.

“We had to place our volunteers and rescue services at risk to go into that community. And make at least two flood rescues to get people out.”

Portland Bay rescue delayed

The 21 crew members aboard the Portland Bay ship anchored perilously off the shore of Cronulla must continue to wait to be rescued.

The tow line snapped in 11-metre swells off the Royal National Park and thwarted attempts to winch the crew free after it was deemed too dangerous.

The bulk carrier is now double anchored in a more sheltered position until conditions are expected to ease around 3am on Wednesday, when it is expected to be brought to Port Botany.

The Hong Kong-based ship had already delivered its cargo of cement in Port Kembla, but contains 1000 tonnes of fuel oil which could create an ecological disaster if spilled.

PM visit

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is due to arrive in Canberra late on Tuesday after attending a NATO leaders summit in Spain and making side trips to France and Ukraine.

The prime minister was briefed by phone soon after clearing war-torn Ukraine on Monday AEST on the situation in NSW, where tens of thousands have been evacuated and thousands of homes deluged.

Albanese also spoke to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who has declared a natural disaster triggering the release of a range of payments and loans for individuals and businesses.

Albanese could tour the region with Perrottet as soon as Thursday.

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