Emergency evacuations, dramatic rescues in flood fight

Maclean residents have been warned by the SES the levee may wall may “fail”.If the levee wall is “compromised”, built-up flood water from the Clarence River will enter the town and could cause “inundation”.NSW SES are currently offloading truckloads of dirt and gravel at the site of the levee wall to contain the potential burst.NSW SES told residents to “act now and be prepared”.Maclean residents will be sent an evacuation alert via mobile phone as the town does not have an alarm.Ulmarra SES Unit Manager Sue Chappell said it was particularly important to ensure the elderly, disabled and sick relatives in the lower laying parts of Maclean are evacuated as soon as possible.Residents have been warned to “prepare yourselves, animals, livestock and property”.An evacuation centre is open in Maclean Showground.The affected streets in Maclean are:Argyle StreetBakers LaneBank LaneBasin StreetCameron StreetCentenary DriveCentral AvenueChurch Street Clyde Street Diamond Street Dunoon Crescent Dwartes LaneEmerald Street Houghs Lane Howard Street Iona CloseJohn StreetJubilee StreetMcLachlan StreetMcNaughton PlaceMorven Street Rannoch AvenueRiver StreetRush LaneSapphire Close Stanley CloseTaloumbi StreetUnion StreetCoraki calls for helpThe town of Coraki is urgently calling out for help as emergency supplies dry up. Ballina based resident Madeline Adams said she had been talking to two elderly women trapped out of their homes. The pair are at the Coraki Uniting Church evacuation centre which is in desperate need of food, water and toiletries.“There is gastro going through the town and they are running out of basic needs,” Ms Adams said. However, with floodwaters inundating the town and nearby Broadwater, Ms Adams said how to get supplies in was the issue. She was asking anyone with a boat or plane who could help to reach out to herself or the Uniting Church. “They haven’t been back home, they’re wearing other people’s clothes” she said. “I’m just hoping someone can try and help.” Airport closedBallina Byron Gateway Airport has shared on social media that it will remain closed until at least midday on Friday, March 4. All commercial flights have been cancelled with emergency services still operational.Life-saving medications choppered in to LismoreA chopper filled with life saving drugs has brought desperately-needed relief at a Lismore chemist that has been overrun in the days since flood water destroyed much of the town.Chemist Warehouse Lismore owner Kate Daniel said she had seen traumatised people who had been through horrendous situations but had somehow managed to keep their spirits up.“As a community everyone seems to be rallying behind each other and really supporting each other,” Mrs Daniel said.“It’s certainly been a crazy time.”A helicopter lands at Hepburn Park in Goonellabah to drop off lifesaving drugs for Chemist Warehouse Lismore.She said the store had been swamped with more than twice as many customers as normal who formed a lengthy queue for scripts.“The volume of scripts is unprecedented and we have run out of a lot of lifesaving medications,” she said. READ MOREWeather alerts: Flood warnings, heavy rainEarlier today, fresh flood warnings and severe weather alerts have been issued for most of New South Wales, with more heavy rain preparing to lash already devastated towns.The Bureau of Meteorology warns a low offshore from the Mid North Coast will deepen and move towards the central New South Wales coast today.The system will bring very heavy surf leading to localised damage and abnormally high tides that may cause sea water flooding of low lying areas.Water levels could reach or exceed the highest tide of the year by more than 0.2 metres, the Bureau warns, particularly during the morning high tide. “Abnormally high water levels are occurring along the northern coast due to flooding and tides being near the highest astronomical tide,” the warning states.There are also moderate to major flood warnings for many rivers including the Wilsons River at Lismore and Clarence River at Grafton.NSW Police are also warning people not to park under trees with high winds likely to cause trees to be uprooted and fall over. Latest weather warnings here.A family of five was rescued from the roof of their house near Ballina, New South Wales, on March 2, after their property was surrounded by rising floodwaters. A rescue helicopter manned by a team from Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission spotted the family from the air. After assessing the situation, the crew decided to winch a LifeFlight paramedic and a rescue basket down to the rooftop. “In a series of winch operations, two adults, a teenager, and two younger children were placed into the basket, then hoisted up into the helicopter, before being flown to safety,” LifeFlight said in a media release. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood evacuation order for Ballina Island early on March 2, while New South Wales Health announced Ballina Hospital would be evacuated as a precaution. The flood-related death toll for New South Wales rose to five according to media reports. Across the border in Queensland at least 10 deaths had been reported and 30,000 homes were without power. Credit: LifeFlight via StoryfulBallina Island cut offBallina Island remains cut off from surrounding areas after historic flooding hit the town this week. Frustrations were running high when countless Ballina residents tried to return home to the CBD on Wednesday, only to be turned away. At the same time major communication network issues were affecting the town along with much of the Northern Rivers.The full scale of damage to the Ballina CBD is not yet known but on Wednesday police had erected roadblocks to keep people from trying to return to the flood-ravaged streets, many of them still inundated from the swollen Richmond River.Police roadblocks were erected on the CBD side of Missingham Bridge – heading from East Ballina – on Angels Beach Drive.The town has also been cut off from the north at Tamarind Drive and from the south and west. Speaking from a rare pocket of phone reception, Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the town was in a “desperate situation”.“I said (earlier) it was a one in 500 year event but it’s actually a one in 1000 year event, I believe, now,” Ms Cadwallader said. “It’s heartbreaking to see the river topple over like it has and to fill up the main CBD of Ballina. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see the homes flooded.”250+ schools shutMore than 250 schools across New South Wales have been shut due to the extensive flooding crisis and road closures across the state.See the list for state and independent schools here and Catholic schools here.A family of five was rescued from the roof of their house near Ballina, New South Wales, on March 2, after their property was surrounded by rising floodwaters. A rescue helicopter manned by a team from Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission spotted the family from the air. After assessing the situation, the crew decided to winch a LifeFlight paramedic and a rescue basket down to the rooftop. “In a series of winch operations, two adults, a teenager, and two younger children were placed into the basket, then hoisted up into the helicopter, before being flown to safety,” LifeFlight said in a media release. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood evacuation order for Ballina Island early on March 2, while New South Wales Health announced Ballina Hospital would be evacuated as a precaution. The flood-related death toll for New South Wales rose to five according to media reports. Across the border in Queensland at least 10 deaths had been reported and 30,000 homes were without power. Credit: LifeFlight via StoryfulThousands of calls for helpSince 5am Wednesday, the NSW SES has received 3166 calls for assistance, including 255 flood rescues.Their busiest units have been Gosford (403 calls), Wyong (223), Penrith (177), Liverpool (167), Blacktown (134), Lismore (118) and Ballina (116).“The East Coast Low started affecting NSW early this morning with heavy rain and strong winds,” an update from the SES reads. “Heavy falls have been recorded across the Sydney Metropolitan, Central Coast, Hunter and Illawarra Regions. This is expected to continue and intensify into the day. In the North Coast, wild weather is likely to spread from QLD into Northern Rivers over the coming days.“The current weather situation remains serious. There are multiple evacuation orders in place across the state. Affected residents are urged to follow the advice provided within these evacuation orders and act immediately if safe.Northern NSW flood crisis key websites“Trees are more likely to fall as soil structures are soaked and impacted by strong winds. Localised flash flooding could occur at any time.“Make safe, smart decisions for you and your family. Avoid unnecessary travel and never drive, ride or walk-through flood water.”For current Evacuation Orders, Centres and Flood Bulletins visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au.For emergency assistance in flood and storms, call NSW SES 132 500. If the situation is life-threatening, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.Food supplies needed in flood-hit townsA much-needed convoy of goods arrived in the flood stricken town of Lismore Wednesday night, as Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway urged residents to stay off the roads.“Thanks to help from NSW Police Force, drivers took a more time-consuming and indirect route along the Pacific Motorway rather than the more direct Bruxner Highway, which remains closed in several sections,” Mr Farraway said.“Byron Bay and Alstonville are along the route and will also be resupplied.“While the Pacific Motorway opened to all traffic between Ballina and the Queensland border earlier (Wednesday) afternoon, all non-essential travel is still discouraged.“This was an urgent re-supply run with the help of authorities, please do not take any risks.”It comes as the Lismore City Council calls for donations to help residents in evacuation centres.Aerial photos reveal Ballina’s heartache amid fourth deathA fourth person died in the northern NSW flood disaster with a man in his 70s discovered inside a home in South Lismore on Wednesday.The man — who is yet to be formally identified — was discovered at a home on Cromer St about 2pm and a crime scene has been established.Confirmation of the fourth fatality of the floods came just hours after the discovery of Stuart Bock’s body in the Lismore CBD on Wednesday morning, bringing a tragic end to three days of searching by his family and friends.Read more here.NED-5618-NSW-Flood-northNED-5618 NSW Rainfall Totals

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March 03, 2022 at 12:01PM
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Maclean residents have been warned by the SES the levee may wall may “fail”.If the levee wall is “compromised”, built-up flood water from the Clarence River will enter the town and could cause “inundation”.NSW SES are currently offloading truckloads of dirt and gravel at the site of the levee wall to contain the potential burst.NSW SES told residents to “act now and be prepared”.Maclean residents will be sent an evacuation alert via mobile phone as the town does not have an alarm.Ulmarra SES Unit Manager Sue Chappell said it was particularly important to ensure the elderly, disabled and sick relatives in the lower laying parts of Maclean are evacuated as soon as possible.Residents have been warned to “prepare yourselves, animals, livestock and property”.An evacuation centre is open in Maclean Showground.The affected streets in Maclean are:Argyle StreetBakers LaneBank LaneBasin StreetCameron StreetCentenary DriveCentral AvenueChurch Street Clyde Street Diamond Street Dunoon Crescent Dwartes LaneEmerald Street Houghs Lane Howard Street Iona CloseJohn StreetJubilee StreetMcLachlan StreetMcNaughton PlaceMorven Street Rannoch AvenueRiver StreetRush LaneSapphire Close Stanley CloseTaloumbi StreetUnion StreetCoraki calls for helpThe town of Coraki is urgently calling out for help as emergency supplies dry up. Ballina based resident Madeline Adams said she had been talking to two elderly women trapped out of their homes. The pair are at the Coraki Uniting Church evacuation centre which is in desperate need of food, water and toiletries.“There is gastro going through the town and they are running out of basic needs,” Ms Adams said. However, with floodwaters inundating the town and nearby Broadwater, Ms Adams said how to get supplies in was the issue. She was asking anyone with a boat or plane who could help to reach out to herself or the Uniting Church. “They haven’t been back home, they’re wearing other people’s clothes” she said. “I’m just hoping someone can try and help.” Airport closedBallina Byron Gateway Airport has shared on social media that it will remain closed until at least midday on Friday, March 4. All commercial flights have been cancelled with emergency services still operational.Life-saving medications choppered in to LismoreA chopper filled with life saving drugs has brought desperately-needed relief at a Lismore chemist that has been overrun in the days since flood water destroyed much of the town.Chemist Warehouse Lismore owner Kate Daniel said she had seen traumatised people who had been through horrendous situations but had somehow managed to keep their spirits up.“As a community everyone seems to be rallying behind each other and really supporting each other,” Mrs Daniel said.“It’s certainly been a crazy time.”A helicopter lands at Hepburn Park in Goonellabah to drop off lifesaving drugs for Chemist Warehouse Lismore.She said the store had been swamped with more than twice as many customers as normal who formed a lengthy queue for scripts.“The volume of scripts is unprecedented and we have run out of a lot of lifesaving medications,” she said. READ MOREWeather alerts: Flood warnings, heavy rainEarlier today, fresh flood warnings and severe weather alerts have been issued for most of New South Wales, with more heavy rain preparing to lash already devastated towns.The Bureau of Meteorology warns a low offshore from the Mid North Coast will deepen and move towards the central New South Wales coast today.The system will bring very heavy surf leading to localised damage and abnormally high tides that may cause sea water flooding of low lying areas.Water levels could reach or exceed the highest tide of the year by more than 0.2 metres, the Bureau warns, particularly during the morning high tide. “Abnormally high water levels are occurring along the northern coast due to flooding and tides being near the highest astronomical tide,” the warning states.There are also moderate to major flood warnings for many rivers including the Wilsons River at Lismore and Clarence River at Grafton.NSW Police are also warning people not to park under trees with high winds likely to cause trees to be uprooted and fall over. Latest weather warnings here.A family of five was rescued from the roof of their house near Ballina, New South Wales, on March 2, after their property was surrounded by rising floodwaters. A rescue helicopter manned by a team from Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission spotted the family from the air. After assessing the situation, the crew decided to winch a LifeFlight paramedic and a rescue basket down to the rooftop. “In a series of winch operations, two adults, a teenager, and two younger children were placed into the basket, then hoisted up into the helicopter, before being flown to safety,” LifeFlight said in a media release. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood evacuation order for Ballina Island early on March 2, while New South Wales Health announced Ballina Hospital would be evacuated as a precaution. The flood-related death toll for New South Wales rose to five according to media reports. Across the border in Queensland at least 10 deaths had been reported and 30,000 homes were without power. Credit: LifeFlight via StoryfulBallina Island cut offBallina Island remains cut off from surrounding areas after historic flooding hit the town this week. Frustrations were running high when countless Ballina residents tried to return home to the CBD on Wednesday, only to be turned away. At the same time major communication network issues were affecting the town along with much of the Northern Rivers.The full scale of damage to the Ballina CBD is not yet known but on Wednesday police had erected roadblocks to keep people from trying to return to the flood-ravaged streets, many of them still inundated from the swollen Richmond River.Police roadblocks were erected on the CBD side of Missingham Bridge – heading from East Ballina – on Angels Beach Drive.The town has also been cut off from the north at Tamarind Drive and from the south and west. Speaking from a rare pocket of phone reception, Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the town was in a “desperate situation”.“I said (earlier) it was a one in 500 year event but it’s actually a one in 1000 year event, I believe, now,” Ms Cadwallader said. “It’s heartbreaking to see the river topple over like it has and to fill up the main CBD of Ballina. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see the homes flooded.”250+ schools shutMore than 250 schools across New South Wales have been shut due to the extensive flooding crisis and road closures across the state.See the list for state and independent schools here and Catholic schools here.A family of five was rescued from the roof of their house near Ballina, New South Wales, on March 2, after their property was surrounded by rising floodwaters. A rescue helicopter manned by a team from Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission spotted the family from the air. After assessing the situation, the crew decided to winch a LifeFlight paramedic and a rescue basket down to the rooftop. “In a series of winch operations, two adults, a teenager, and two younger children were placed into the basket, then hoisted up into the helicopter, before being flown to safety,” LifeFlight said in a media release. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood evacuation order for Ballina Island early on March 2, while New South Wales Health announced Ballina Hospital would be evacuated as a precaution. The flood-related death toll for New South Wales rose to five according to media reports. Across the border in Queensland at least 10 deaths had been reported and 30,000 homes were without power. Credit: LifeFlight via StoryfulThousands of calls for helpSince 5am Wednesday, the NSW SES has received 3166 calls for assistance, including 255 flood rescues.Their busiest units have been Gosford (403 calls), Wyong (223), Penrith (177), Liverpool (167), Blacktown (134), Lismore (118) and Ballina (116).“The East Coast Low started affecting NSW early this morning with heavy rain and strong winds,” an update from the SES reads. “Heavy falls have been recorded across the Sydney Metropolitan, Central Coast, Hunter and Illawarra Regions. This is expected to continue and intensify into the day. In the North Coast, wild weather is likely to spread from QLD into Northern Rivers over the coming days.“The current weather situation remains serious. There are multiple evacuation orders in place across the state. Affected residents are urged to follow the advice provided within these evacuation orders and act immediately if safe.Northern NSW flood crisis key websites“Trees are more likely to fall as soil structures are soaked and impacted by strong winds. Localised flash flooding could occur at any time.“Make safe, smart decisions for you and your family. Avoid unnecessary travel and never drive, ride or walk-through flood water.”For current Evacuation Orders, Centres and Flood Bulletins visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au.For emergency assistance in flood and storms, call NSW SES 132 500. If the situation is life-threatening, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.Food supplies needed in flood-hit townsA much-needed convoy of goods arrived in the flood stricken town of Lismore Wednesday night, as Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway urged residents to stay off the roads.“Thanks to help from NSW Police Force, drivers took a more time-consuming and indirect route along the Pacific Motorway rather than the more direct Bruxner Highway, which remains closed in several sections,” Mr Farraway said.“Byron Bay and Alstonville are along the route and will also be resupplied.“While the Pacific Motorway opened to all traffic between Ballina and the Queensland border earlier (Wednesday) afternoon, all non-essential travel is still discouraged.“This was an urgent re-supply run with the help of authorities, please do not take any risks.”It comes as the Lismore City Council calls for donations to help residents in evacuation centres.Aerial photos reveal Ballina’s heartache amid fourth deathA fourth person died in the northern NSW flood disaster with a man in his 70s discovered inside a home in South Lismore on Wednesday.The man — who is yet to be formally identified — was discovered at a home on Cromer St about 2pm and a crime scene has been established.Confirmation of the fourth fatality of the floods came just hours after the discovery of Stuart Bock’s body in the Lismore CBD on Wednesday morning, bringing a tragic end to three days of searching by his family and friends.Read more here.NED-5618-NSW-Flood-northNED-5618 NSW Rainfall Totals