A significant flood event has overwhelmed the town of Taree in New South Wales’ Hunter region, as continuous heavy rainfall has caused the Manning River to exceed its previous record of six metres set in 1929. The State Emergency Service (SES) has issued warnings indicating that residents in Taree, Wingham, and Glenthorne might find themselves cut off from accessible roads due to rising floodwaters.
In response to the dangerous situation, authorities are advising some residents to relocate to higher ground for their safety and to facilitate rescue operations. Evacuation alerts are currently in place for areas including Manning Point, Coopernook, Buladelah, Gloucester caravan park, and several parts of Dungog and Paterson. However, for some situated in Wingham, Taree, and Dumaresq Island, it’s indicated that it is now too late to evacuate.
The SES has reported a high volume of emergency calls, responding to 892 incidents within the last 24 hours, which included approximately 130 rescues primarily from the Taree, Wingham, and Glenthorne areas. Many of these rescues involved individuals trapped in vehicles that entered floodwaters, as well as people needing assistance from rooftops as water levels surged into their homes. Colin Malone, SES state duty commander, highlighted the dynamic nature of this emergency, where evacuation notifications were actively communicated as the situation developed.
Several significant incidents were noted, including the rescue of 24 individuals from the flooded Pacific Highway during the night. Major flooding is affecting additional rivers in the region, including the Hastings, Gloucester, Williams, and Paterson rivers.
Looking ahead, severe weather conditions are predicted to persist, with expectations for moderate to heavy rainfall extending from the Mid North Coast to Grafton. Flash flooding risks have been highlighted for elevated areas within the Mid North Coast district, with potential rainfall accumulations of 150mm to 200mm within 24 hours anticipated in locations like Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and Kempsey.
As the flood situation continues to evolve, emergency services remain on high alert and are utilising every available resource to aid those affected by the unprecedented weather events.