Emergency services are using boats and planes to get essential supplies to residents isolated by major flooding that continues to hit NSW.
More than 8000 calls have now been made to the NSW State Emergency Service for help this month, as floodwaters continue to inundate communities.
Twenty-two flood warnings are in place across the state, with western NSW and parts of the Hunter Region and mid-north coast particularly badly affected.
Very heavy rainfall throughout November has flooded some of the state’s major river catchments, cutting off roads and access to homes.
Videos and photos taken by residents in western NSW and shared on social media show paddocks turned into lakes and roads that have become rivers so deep people can kayak on them.
Emergency services personnel are using boats to travel through floodwaters to check on people’s welfare and flying by helicopter to drop off essential supplies.
NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan said on Monday she expected the flooding to continue for at least the next few weeks.
“We are looking at getting further rain this week, so more rain potentially there is further renewed rises where it is already flooding,” she told Sunrise.
Ms Hogan reiterated warnings from the SES, urging people not to attempt to drive through floodwaters.
“We are seeing a rise in flood rescues over the last 24 hours,” she said.
“We have had over 140 flood rescues through the entirety of this response, so we are urging communities to really look at where they are driving and plan their travel effectively.”
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning of major flooding of the Gwydir River at Yarraman and the Macquarie River at Warren on Monday.
Major flooding is also expected along the Macintyre River downstream of Holdfast near the Queensland border.
Communities along the Namoi River in western NSW are already experiencing major flooding, including Gunnedah, where river levels peaked at 8.61m on Sunday morning.
As floodwater moves downstream of Gunnedah, further rises are expected at Boggabri and Narrabri. Minor flooding is occurring at Boggabri and major flooding is occurring at Narrabri.
The small town of Wee Waa has become an island surrounded by floodwaters, with its supplies being delivered by air.
The Namoi River at Wee Waa is expected to remain above the major flood level for around a week.
The weather bureau is warning that forecast rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday may cause further river rises and flooding in the Namoi River catchment.
Major highways in parts of the state have also been closed due to rising water levels, including the Castlereagh Highway between Coonamble and Gulargambone, and the Kamilaroi Highway between Boggabri and Gunnedah and Walgett and Narrabri.
Originally published as Thousands call for help as major flooding continues across NSW
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