By Andrew Drummond
MORE than 4000 people have been cut off by floodwaters in northern NSW, with swollen rivers still far from reaching their peaks.
Premier Kristina Keneally will today visit some of the flood-affected communities, with the SES saying 4500 people are now isolated.
More than 150 millimetres of rain has been dumped in the past 24 hours over the state’s northeast.
“The heavy rains are having an impact on northern NSW communities, resulting in flash flooding and isolations,” Ms Keneally said yesterday.
“Tomorrow I expect to travel to some of the flood-affected communities and directly see the damage and the flood response efforts myself.”
The Clarence River which flows through the city of Grafton is expected to reach a peak of 7m early on Wednesday, sparking possible property evacuations and the closure of the Pacific Highway.
“There is some fairly significant flooding going to occur around the Grafton area and further downstream,” said State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman Phil Campbell.
“But the levy there is secure to 8m so it shouldn’t impact on the city itself.”
The SES is working with rural communities downstream of Grafton, to ensure the several hundred people who are expected to get cut off are prepared.
Continuing heavy rain on Tuesday cut off Tenterfield, home to about 2,700 people, and divided the town in two shortly after midday (AEDT).
“Rain should ease at Tenterfield in the next 12 hours and that should rapidly become not isolated,” Mr Campbell said.
Ms Keneally said about 500 people had been isolated in Bonalbo, a further 500 were cut off in the Darkwood and Upper Thora communities and about 150 people in Ewingar.
In the 12 hours before midday, the SES rescued 12 people, mostly as a result of cars being driven into floodwaters or the flash flooding of homes.
The SES and Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) are warning drivers to take extreme care and not use flooded roads.
The Pacific Highway is expected to be inundated at several spots, including Grafton and further north at Maclean.
Motorists on the Bruxner Highway should also take care.
“There is a strong message from the SES urging people to stay well away from floodwaters,” Mr Campbell said.
The Bureau of Meteorology maintains a severe weather warning for flash flooding for people in the Northern Tablelands, Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast districts.
Source: www.heraldsun.com.au
