Flood warnings issued for major rivers in NSW

SES released the evacuation warning last night for those in and around low-lying areas surrounding Wagga Wagga. It said those who remained beyond 6pm could become trapped without power and it could become too dangerous to conduct rescue operations.

The Murrumbidgee River has risen almost one metre in the past day, with the Bureau of Meteorology reporting the river at 8.12 metres as of 10.30am on Monday. NSW SES predicts the river could reach 9 metres by tonight. There is a high chance of showers in the area today.

The Murrumbidgee is the second longest river in Australia and is an important source of irrigation for the Riverina farming area. It flows through most of southern NSW, including through the ACT, Gundagai, Wagga Wagga and Hay, before flowing into the Murray near Balranald.

Major floods are occurring at Warren, north west of Dubbo and Wellington, south east of Dubbo. Moderate rainfall late last week caused minor to major flooding along the Macquarie River, with a minor to major flood warning issued today. The river was as high as 9.15 metres at Warren Town on Monday morning.

You can find all the latest flood warnings on the BOM website.

Never drive, ride or walk through flood water. In life threatening emergencies, call 000 (triple zero) immediately. If you require rescue, assistance to evacuate or other emergency help, ring NSW SES on 132 500.

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