Authorities are warning people in Sydney, the Hunter, Illawarra and several other regional areas to brace for more wild weather, as NSW endures yet another flooding emergency.
People stand next to a flooded petrol station due to torrential rain in the Camden suburb of Sydney on 3 July, 2022. Photo: AFP
Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes across Greater Sydney, with 69 evacuation orders in place.
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman Adam Jones said crews performed 18 rescues overnight in Sydney and more than 100 across the state as persistent, heavy rain continues to bucket down and the Hawkesbury, Nepean and Colo rivers flooded.
While the east coast low which sparked the deluge has weakened, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is still forecasting up to 120mm of rain in the Harbour City today.
A slew of evacuation orders and warnings have been issued this morning and over the weekend.
Today, the SES told people in low-lying areas near the Hawkesbury River downstream of Wisemans Ferry, north west of Sydney, to evacuate by 10am.
Closer to the city, people in some parts of Penrith, North Richmond and Windsor have been warned they may need to leave today.
Warragamba Dam, Sydney's main water source, began spilling about 2am yesterday and, this morning, WaterNSW said "all major dams in the Sydney network continue to spill".
Some rivers have even exceeded the major flood levels reached in March.
A Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall is currently in place for the Metropolitan, Illawarra, parts of Hunter and Central Tablelands Forecast Districts.
The SES has conducted 111 flood rescues with more than 3500 calls for help since the emergency began.
It's the third time this year many of the areas being inundated, including parts of Sydney's north west and south west, have flooded.
The downpour became deadly yesterday when a man drowned in the Parramatta River at Abbotsford yesterday afternoon.
A rescue worker examines a flooded area due to torrential rain in the Camden suburb of Sydney on 3 July, 2022. Photo: AFP
SES deputy state commander Ashley Sullivan said people in Greater Sydney should "bunker down".
"This is a developing flood and severe weather situation and we do ask residents to really consider your movements over the next couple of days," Sullivan said.
"I understand it's school holidays, but really have a look at your travel plans, if you do have any. If you don't need to leave home, please, you know, bunker down at home if it's safe to do so."
He said the majority of people who had to be rescued had driven into floodwaters.
He said others left it too late to leave home.
"We had to go in and rescue a couple of families and their pets because the river rose quickly or they left it too late. We really want people to keep up to date with the latest information," Sullivan said.
At least 100 Australian Defence Force troops on the ground
Australian Defence Force Brigadier Robert Lording said the ADF had received a request under the Commonwealth disaster recovery plan to provide support to New South Wales.
"I would say that the ADF is committed to supporting the New South Wales agencies. We work very closely with the SES and New South Wales police. Increasingly, we are seamless in the way that operation occurs and it allows us to get on the ground and be able to provide that support in relatively quick time. We are available and we will continue to support the community in New Wales.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said he was pleased the ADF had responded to the situation immediately.
"I think the fact that we have had the Commonwealth and the ADF on the ground straightaway is incredibly pleasing and I think you can certainly see that is something that has improved from the last flooding events we have had earlier in the year.
"We can always learn from events of the past to make sure we do better in the future," Perrottet said.
File photo: NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet Photo: 2021 Getty Images
Cargo ship left stranded
A cargo ship with 21 crew on board has lost power off the Royal National Park, south of Sydney.
The crew are stranded and will need to be evacuated by helicopter but severe weather battering Greater Sydney is making the rescue difficult.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said emergency services were on their way to the cargo ship to try and airlift to safety eight non-essential crew.
"It is obviously a very precarious position and our thoughts are with those on board," he said.
A police spokesperson said the vessel lost power and was drifting towards the cliffs at the Royal National Park not long after it left Wollongong at about 7:30am.
The ship is now double anchored about 1km off the coast, and authorities believe a tugboat that has just arrived on the scene will prevent it from being pushed towards the cliffs.
A second tugboat is expected to arrive in a matter of hours.
"My understanding is that the tugboat that is being sent has the capacity to tow it further to sea and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will co-ordinate the resources needed to get it under way out of its own power," he said.
A plan to airlift the crew has been abandoned as it is too dangerous for the time being, he said.
MetService has warned that the sub-tropical weather system bringing heavy rain to NSW is now set to bring a week of wet weather to New Zealand's shores.
- ABC
