Cootamundra, NSW. Source: Mattinbgn, Wikimedia Commons
Residents of the NSW town Cootamundra have been ordered to evacuate after heavy overnight rain caused a local creek to flood.
An aged care home and caravan park are among those properties evacuated.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, about 100 millimetres of rain has been recorded in the region over the last 24 hours, leading to river rises and flash flooding along Muttama Creek.
The State Emergency Service (SES) has issued a warning to residents in all areas across the creek, urging people to evacuate now.
Back in November, 400 properties were evacuated in Cootamundra after heavy rain caused the creek to break its banks and inundate parts of the town.
SES controller Barry Griffiths says rainfall in the upper catchment continues to move through Cootamundra now.
“We’ve issued the flood emergency warning for low-lying areas within Cootamundra,” Mr Griffiths said.
“We’re directing people to evacuate now if they’re in that area… It’s likely that we’ll probably see Muttama Creek start to cut sections of Sutton Street and Cootamundra in two, and possibly the rail line too, if it gets high enough.”
Mr Griffiths also said the Cootamundra caravan park and aged care home have already been evacuated, and an evacuation area is being established at Cootamundra’s Citizens Club and Ex-Servicemen’s club.
Mr Griffiths has urged residents to follow orders given by the SES, saying, “I’m not going to quote how high it’ll get, because obviously the situation is evolving, but we do need people to follow the instructions we’ve provided.”
Flood rescues have already been carried out, and Mr Griffiths is urging people to alter their travel plans in order to avoid Cootamundra.
