NSW will get a few days of relief from the intense rain that has battered the state but floodwaters are still rising and authorities are forecasting another rain system to arrive midweek.
People across the state were forced to flee their homes over the weekend as floodwaters rose, with thousands of others poised to leave if ordered as many rivers sat at major flood levels.
There were 16 emergency warnings in place across NSW on Monday morning, while the State Emergency Service received more than 1000 calls for help over the weekend and responded to 44 flood rescues.
The Bureau of Meteorology said no heavy falls were expected in the next couple of days but areas east of the Great Dividing Range would continue to get patches of rain.
However, the reprieve will be short-lived as another system is expected to bring rain from Wednesday to Friday.
SES Commissioner Carlene York said there were 12 flood rescues on Sunday night and warned against people becoming complacent because the rain had stopped.
“We’re seeing flash flooding and serious riverine flooding rising,” she told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday.
“Just because it’s not raining, it doesn’t mean those rivers aren’t rising – water is still flowing into our catchment areas.”
The SES issued new evacuation orders overnight for low-lying areas along the Hawkesbury River and an evacuation centre has been established at North Richmond, while flooding continues further west and south.
Moderate to heavy rainfall since Saturday caused significant river level rises across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley triggering moderate flooding at North Richmond and Windsor and minor flooding at Penrith and Sackville.
BOM meteorologist Dean Narramore said the relief from the rain on Monday did not signal the end of flooding.
“We’re still very much watching the rivers and the outlook because there’s more rain on the way,” he told ABC TV.
Widespread falls of 30 to 50mm hit much of northern and eastern NSW on the weekend while 50 to 100mm fell between Newcastle and Ulladulla.
Some of the highest falls drenched the Illawarra region, which copped up to 120mm.
Rising floodwaters peaked at Dubbo on the weekend with water seeping into the township and people evacuated, while Taronga Western Plains Zoo closed on Saturday.
“We could see major flooding in the coming days and also for communities downstream of Dubbo on the Macquarie, also the Namoi as well as the Peel … and particularly the Lachlan and the upper regions of the Murrumbidgee, ” Mr Narramore said.
“So residents living on or near these rivers particularly upstream of these locations need to be on alert in the coming days.”
Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke told people to be cautious even as the rain eased.
“Don’t be deceived. The sun might be out in various parts of the state … but our rivers continue to rise,” Ms Cooke said.
Rural, remote and regional areas will be “on edge” as they wait for the next big weather system to hit from Wednesday, she said.
© AAP 2022
