NSW residents have been told to ready themselves for the potential of “life threatening” floods as the weather system causing havoc in Queensland and the state’s north begins moving south.
Premier Dominic Perrottet has made a grim warning to the community as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) predicts the wild weather could continue into the week.
“If you are in an area where there has been a flood warning or in an area where there is an evacuation warning as well, please get ready, please be prepared and please follow the instructions as they are issued,” he told reporters in Wollongong.
There are currently 11 flood warnings across NSW and an evacuation warning in the Clarence River region.
“My strong message today for people in those areas is to follow the instructions where there is an evacuation order, please evacuate,” Mr Perrottet said.
BOM’s Ailsa Schofield said the “dangerous” weather system is moving south.
“There is some very serious weather on its way,” she said.
“The weather system that we‘ve seen travelling from Queensland is now moving into New South Wales.
“There is also the potential for this system to continue travelling all the way down to the southern parts of the state.
“The bureau is currently monitoring this situation actively and we are expecting to see a renewed heavy rainfall day, likely to be on Wednesday, for southern parts of the state.”
The acting manager for hazard preparedness warned 150mm could fall on the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast areas on Sunday.
A further 250mm could also drop as the weather system moves south.
“We won’t start to see the rainfall ease until tomorrow. What this means forxjmtzyw communities is that there is very serious and life-threatening flash flooding and Riverine flooding likely,” Ms Schofield said.
Emergency Services and Resilience Minister Steph Cooke encouraged residents in flood prone areas to get basics, such as dry clothes, medications, chargers and devices, prepared.
“The risk of flash flooding, heavy rainfall, Riverine flooding, of course, is very real over the coming days,” she told reporters.
