Flash Floodingโข Impacts sydney as SES Responds to Hundreds of Calls
sydney, NSW – Heavy โฃrainfall has caused flash flooding across โSydney and surrounding regions, prompting a surge in calls for assistance to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES). Asโ of Wednesday, the SES had received 850 calls for help, with crews working to rescue strandedโฃ individuals and respond โฃto flood-related emergencies.
On Wednesday, the SES successfully rescued a group of bushwalkers sheltering in theโ Royal National Park at Wattamolla. According to NSW โSES spokesperson Kiara Magnussen, “The flood rescue operators traversed theโฃ river using anโข Ark Angel raft andโค they hiked 800 metresโ to get to where theโข bushwalkers were sheltering. They then walked the bushwalkers to safety and assisted themโ to cross the flood waters in โthe [raft].”
As of 9am Wednesday, Observatory Hill recorded 104.8 millimetresโ of rain, while Sydney Airport โreceived 83.2mm. The Bureauโข of Meteorology โข(BOM) forecasts wet and damaging wind conditions will continue through Thursday morning โbefore โeasing.
Heavy rainfallโ and damaging wind gusts up โขto 90 kilometres per hour are expectedโ to impact โthe Hunter, Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands regions until Thursday afternoon. Hazardous surf conditions are also โanticipated along the northern and central coasts, increasing the โฃrisk ofโ coastal erosion. Further heavy rain isโฃ possible in the โIllawarra, south coastโ and Southern Tablelands into Friday.
The BOM cancelled a severe weather warning for the metropolitan area, Illawarra, โsouth coast and Southern Tablelands on Thursday morning. However, a warning remains in place as of 8am โขThursday for heavyโ rainfall and damaging winds โacross parts of the Illawarra, Mid North Coast, metropolitan area, south coast, Southern Tablelands, Northern Tablelands and the Hunter forecast districts.
