Parts of NSW have copped a drenching overnight as emergency workers performed dozens of flood rescues and received 600 requests for help, and the Australian Defence force was on standby.
Heavy rain along Australia’s southeast coast caused flash flooding and road closures, leaving residents on alert and ruining weekend plans for some.
Evacuations were ordered overnight Saturday from the Western Plains Tourist Park in Dubbo as flood waters posed an imminent threat and from properties in the Gronos Point area on the Hawkesbury River.
Campers at a reserve on the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga advised were urged to evacuate by Sunday morning.
In one dramatic rescue (pictured above), the NSW RFS saved a driver trapped on his roof in fast-flowing flood waters in the Illawara and used a heavy tanker to get the man to safety.
Falls of up to 90mm were forecast for parts of the NSW coast from the Hunter down to the Illawarra region overnight, along with wind gusts in excess of 90km/hr.
By Saturday night Putty, northwest of Sydney, had copped 79mm of rain in six hours while Vincentia in Jervis Bay recorded 82mm in three hours.
More than 70 warnings were in place across the state on Sunday morning.
NSW SES continue to respond to a prolonged flood campaign in Western and Southern areas of the State. Eastern parts of the State will be on watch over the weekend due to current weather impacting these areas.
Overnight we have seen the predicted weather… https://t.co/65jn6Xd4rw pic.twitter.com/wHtn6DFNSq— NSW SES (@NSWSES) October 8, 2022
Earlier in the day the NSW State Emergency Service performed six rescues and responded to 330 calls for help.
In Victoria, heavy rain drowned out a wine and music festival on Saturday with major flood warnings for parts of the state even as rain eased.
Conditions in NSW were expected to ease in the early hours of Sunday before tapering off by midday.
Australian Defence Force helicopters were placed on standby in NSW to assist in a potential emergency.
Another image from the rescue near Otford (Wollongong) this evening. Driver is ok. #nswrfs https://t.co/GgvbTrVmXJ pic.twitter.com/u8sxDC4Utj
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 8, 2022
In the state’s west, Bathurst 1000 fans soaked under 100mm of rain and one event was called off due to torrential rain, but the main race was still scheduled to go ahead on Sunday morning.
In Victoria, emergency services issued a watch and act message for communities in central and northeast parts, including the towns of Charlton, Avoca, Laanecoorie and Cowra near the Murray River.
In NSW, major flooding was occurring on the Macquarie, Darling, Culgoa and Lachlan rivers.
Bathurst shootout cancelled
Supercars fans attending their first year back in full capacity around Mount Panorama braved torrential rain and flooding only to have the Bathurst 1000 top ten shootout cancelled.
Saturday’s shootout which Cam Waters was set to lead was canned by officials due to extreme weather and unsafe driving conditions.
Those conditions extended to the fans who have bravely sat through torrential rain trackside, witnessing Bathurst without crowd limitations for the first time since the pandemic began.
Tens of thousands descended on the NSW central west this year and the 7000 sold-out campsite ticket holders have endured stop and start rain, cold October weather and now the cancellation of final qualifying.
Mud and rivers can be found all around the grounds as water streams down the mountain to the main gates.
Non-camping fans without four wheel drives were told to catch public transport to the grounds on Saturday after the general access parking saw cars bogged deep in mud.
“Parking is at your own risk,” Supercars said.
Following what was described by drivers and officials as a “disappointing” cancellation of the shootout for the first time in history, reigning champion Chaz Mostert was astounded how fans just keep turning up rain, hail or shine.
“Our fans in our sport are the best in the country,” he said.
“The dedication they show here all week long into the weekend, cheering their favourite drivers on, their teams, sharing plenty of bevvies with their next door neighbours in their campsite in those conditions.
“We are very lucky to have the fans that we have in this sport.
“We’re sorry we didn’t get be able to do the top 10 today. It hurts us on the inside too.
“But we want to make sure all the cars, all your teams, all the drivers on the grid tomorrow, putting on the actual race.”
Mostert will start third on the grid behind Lee Holdsworth and pole-sitter Cam Waters.
-with AAP
The post Midnight evacuations and dozens of rescues as severe rainfall causes flash flooding appeared first on The New Daily.
