South-east Queensland and northern NSW suffered wild winds, heavy rainfall and abnormal tides on Saturday.
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As Queensland mops up from storms which battered it’s southern regions and caused the deaths of two people in a horror auto crash on Saturday, NSW continues to be lashed as the State Emergency Service responds to thousands of calls for help.
Ausgrid workers have been working to restore supply but have faced strong winds and fallen trees across the network, a spokesperson said.
For Sydney, falls could reach 140mm from Saturday to Monday, with totals dependent on how long the low lingers just off shore.
“The system will likely impact the entire NSW coast and adjacent ranges over the weekend, with widespread heavy rain and high winds that have the potential to cause riverine and flash flooding, bring trees down and cause property damage”, she said.
NSW SES Mid North Coast Region is urging residents to monitor weather and flood warnings issued by the Bureau of Meteorology and to exercise caution should the severe conditions eventuate.
A severe weather system heading south along the NSW coast is only going to get more intense, authorities warn.
A rapidly rising creek at the notoriously flood-prone Toombul Shopping Centre carried two cars away, fortunately without their owners inside.
Mr Wadell said numerous calls were to help with sandbagging to ward off low level flooding but he wasn’t aware of any houses suffering badly from inundation.
More than 9000 homes and businesses remain without power across Sydney and the Central Coast.
Heavy rain, strong winds and damaging surf are forecast.
Never drive, walk or ride through flood water – this is the main cause of death during floods as water may be deeper or faster flowing and may contain hidden branches or debris. Do not enter flood waters.
Move your auto under cover or away from trees.
If flood waters rise around your vehicle, get out and move to higher ground.
NSW State Emergency Service spokesman Phil Campbell said the BOM had advised the organisation that between 200-300 millimetres could fall in some places in northern NSW.
Ms Carroll said State Emergency Services (SES) crews would be on standby to respond if needed.
She said 10 State Emergency Service crews were now racing to complete the jobs before sundown.
“SES volunteers attend to hundreds of requests for help during peak storm activity and ask that those requiring assistance be patient”.
Police were investigating whether the rare winter storms played a part in the tragic crash and another that injured three people near Gatton.
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In Queensland, beaches on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast have been closed due to high winds and seas, and 220mm of rain fell over Upper Springbok by yesterday morning.
