29 March, 2024
Search
Close this search box.
Flood risk for NSW towns as rain subsides

Date

Spread the love

Hundreds of people have been told to evacuate as swollen rivers and catchments flood towns in southern and central western NSW, where more rain is expected.

With 105 emergency warnings current across the state, authorities have told residents at North Wagga Wagga and Gumly Gumly in the Riverina to get out, with major flooding expected on the Murrumbidgee River.

Those outside the Wagga Wagga levee were told to evacuate by 7am on Thursday and anyone inside needed to evacuate by 8am on Friday, the State Emergency Service said.

The Murrumbidgee is copping spilling from Burrinjuck Dam combined with inflows from the Tumut River and other tributaries causing major flooding at Gundagai that has exceeded 1989 levels.

The Bureau of Meteorology says levels of inundation last experienced in June 1952 are possible at Forbes in the Central West.

As the Lachlan River peak surges downstream, levels in the town are likely to exceed the major flood mark of 10.55 metres around midday on Thursday and could reach levels similar to the June 1952 flood (10.8m) on Friday evening into Saturday.

Levels at Nanami exceeded 10.7m on Wednesday, with a peak expected on Thursday afternoon.

Along the Namoi River in the state’s Northern Tablelands, major flooding is occurring at Gunnedah.

Downstream, minor flooding is possible at Boggabri from Thursday morning and at Narrabri.

Minor flooding is happening along the Namoi at Wee Waa, where renewed rises to the major flood level are possible from later this week.

Flooding is also happening in Albury after the Murray-Darling Basin Authority increased releases of water from Hume Dam in response to continued rain and the main road and only access into the area is closed.

Combined with inflows from the Kiewa River downstream of the dam, the Murray River is expected to approach or exceed the major flood level in the city, which is one of the state’s largest regional centres.

– AAP

The post Flood risk for NSW towns as rain subsides appeared first on The New Daily.

More
articles