News

Swiftwater rescue teams have been battling extremely hazardous conditions undertaking over 60 rescues overnight bringing the total to over 133 flood rescues in Burringbar, Murwillumbah, Lismore, Tygalgah locations.

Conditions in northern NSW are particular hazards, destructive winds, heavy rainfall, abnormally high tides and damaging surf are expected over northern parts of the state Friday and as a result major flooding is currently forecast. Extra SES teams (163 total active teams) have been deployed as our tally of request for assistance reach over 1,250 since Thursday.

Currently there are 19,880 people affected by evacuation orders covering over a dozen communities. Major locations affected by the bad weather include: Tweed Heads, Lismore, Murwillumbah and Kyogle. 

NSW SES continues to be supported by other emergency services including Fire Rescue, Rural Fire Service, Ambulance, Traffic Management Centre and Police.

A Severe Weather Warning is still in place for destructive winds, heavy rainfall, abnormally high tides and damaging surf for people in the Northern Rivers and parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Metropolitan, North West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands locations. Lord Howe Island also has a Severe Weather Warning out for damaging winds and heavy rain.

Several Flood Warnings have are current, rivers affected include the Tweed, Wilsons, Orara, Upper Macintyre, Bogan, Bellinger, Brunswick and Marshalls creek. To view all the latest weather and flood warnings or for current river heights for NSW, visit the Bureau of Meteorology’s website http://bit.ly/2nCQndP

NSW SES has issued Evacuation Warnings and Orders affecting approximately 18,500 people in the far north east of the State.

Evacuation Warnings

• Flood Evacuation Warning for downstream of Rocky Creek Dam (33 properties) at Amber Alert

Evacuation Orders

• Flood Evacuation Order for South Murwillumbah, Condong and Tumbulgum (1140 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Chinderah, Kingscliff, Fingal Head and (2100 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Lismore CBD, and North and South Lismore (4550 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Tweed Heads South, Tweed Heads West, Tweed Heads (6700 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Murwillumbah CBD and East (750 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Kyogle (200 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Billinudgel (500 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for Ocean Shores (600 people)

• Flood Evacuation Order for New Brighton (330 people)

Evacuation Centres

• Southern Cross University Bar, Lismore
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Murwillumbah
• Mount St Patricks Catholic High School, Murwillumbah
• Banora Point High, Banora Point
• KIngscliff TAFE, Kingscliff
• Ocean Shores Country Club, Ocean Shores
• Kyogle Memorial Hall, Kyogle
• Mullumbimby RSL Club, Mullumbimby

NSW stay put and stay safe, if you have been advised to evacuate please make the right decision and leave early.

Conditions are extremely dangerous, this is an ongoing severe weather event with major flooding occurring. Rivers are still rising and many will continue to rise even when the rain has stopped.

Many schools will be closed this morning so check your school website for closure information.

Don’t travel unless you absolutely have to, visit livetraffic.com.au and www.myroadinfo.com.au to check road closures and plan your trip accordingly.