Woman swept away in floodwaters as NSW lashed with heavy rain
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Communities rally as floodwaters rise, schools close
The search continues for a woman swept away in floodwaters as rubberneckers worsen the damage for drenched residents. Scores of communities spent Monday mopping up and replacing roofs after wild weather battered Sydney and northern NSW over the weekend. More than two dozen schools were shut on Monday across the state's mid-north coast, Hunter and central coast including Kempsey High School where the main building roof was tossed into trees. Almost 60 warnings were in place on Monday afternoon including evacuation notices for residents in some areas of Gunnedah near the Namoi River. The local mayor said her biggest concern was people not staying away from the floodwater, including drivers going down town streets and "continuing to put waters back on (residents') houses". "It's very unfair when people are flooded in," Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller said. The police community and youth club offers a program for children who cannot attend school, local MP Sarah Mitchell told AAP. "It's tough, and obviously we think about people who are impacted," she said. "But we also see our community really rally together as well." Residents and businesses near the riverbank began preparing for potential flooding as rain persisted through the weekend. "We just sort of have to wait it out," Ms Mitchell said. "Just hoping the damage isn't too bad and that everyone can get on with cleaning up and back to normal life as soon as possible." The Namoi River passed the 7.9m major flood level early on Monday, rising to 8.44m by the afternoon ahead of an expected peak overnight into Tuesday. Wild weather hammered northern NSW across the weekend after floods and snowstorms stranded cars and cut power to homes. The search continued on Monday for a 26-year-old woman swept into floodwaters in the Hunter region, after the Mini Countryman she was travelling in became stranded in floodwaters north of Cessnock on Saturday night. The 27-year-old driver managed to get out, but her passenger was dragged away with the strong current, prompting police to repeat calls for people not to drive into floodwaters. State Emergency Service crews responding to the emergency saved a 40-year-old man who was stuck in a nearby tree due to floodwater. The man was swept out of the tree but rescuers followed him into the water and pulled him to shore before he was taken to hospital. Tens of thousands of households spent a night without power as heavy rain, floods and unprecedented snow wreaked havoc. The SES had received more than 3600 calls for assistance, responding to more than 2200 incidents including 25 flood rescues amid the bad weather. A severe weather warning was cancelled on Monday ahead of more settled conditions, although riverine rises remain a risk as floodwater moves downstream. "People in the warning areas should consider enacting their emergency plans - that means knowing where you will go in case you are asked to leave," NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said. The search continues for a woman swept away in floodwaters as rubberneckers worsen the damage for drenched residents. Scores of communities spent Monday mopping up and replacing roofs after wild weather battered Sydney and northern NSW over the weekend. More than two dozen schools were shut on Monday across the state's mid-north coast, Hunter and central coast including Kempsey High School where the main building roof was tossed into trees. Almost 60 warnings were in place on Monday afternoon including evacuation notices for residents in some areas of Gunnedah near the Namoi River. The local mayor said her biggest concern was people not staying away from the floodwater, including drivers going down town streets and "continuing to put waters back on (residents') houses". "It's very unfair when people are flooded in," Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller said. The police community and youth club offers a program for children who cannot attend school, local MP Sarah Mitchell told AAP. "It's tough, and obviously we think about people who are impacted," she said. "But we also see our community really rally together as well." Residents and businesses near the riverbank began preparing for potential flooding as rain persisted through the weekend. "We just sort of have to wait it out," Ms Mitchell said. "Just hoping the damage isn't too bad and that everyone can get on with cleaning up and back to normal life as soon as possible." The Namoi River passed the 7.9m major flood level early on Monday, rising to 8.44m by the afternoon ahead of an expected peak overnight into Tuesday. Wild weather hammered northern NSW across the weekend after floods and snowstorms stranded cars and cut power to homes. The search continued on Monday for a 26-year-old woman swept into floodwaters in the Hunter region, after the Mini Countryman she was travelling in became stranded in floodwaters north of Cessnock on Saturday night. The 27-year-old driver managed to get out, but her passenger was dragged away with the strong current, prompting police to repeat calls for people not to drive into floodwaters. State Emergency Service crews responding to the emergency saved a 40-year-old man who was stuck in a nearby tree due to floodwater. The man was swept out of the tree but rescuers followed him into the water and pulled him to shore before he was taken to hospital. Tens of thousands of households spent a night without power as heavy rain, floods and unprecedented snow wreaked havoc. The SES had received more than 3600 calls for assistance, responding to more than 2200 incidents including 25 flood rescues amid the bad weather. A severe weather warning was cancelled on Monday ahead of more settled conditions, although riverine rises remain a risk as floodwater moves downstream. "People in the warning areas should consider enacting their emergency plans - that means knowing where you will go in case you are asked to leave," NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said. The search continues for a woman swept away in floodwaters as rubberneckers worsen the damage for drenched residents. Scores of communities spent Monday mopping up and replacing roofs after wild weather battered Sydney and northern NSW over the weekend. More than two dozen schools were shut on Monday across the state's mid-north coast, Hunter and central coast including Kempsey High School where the main building roof was tossed into trees. Almost 60 warnings were in place on Monday afternoon including evacuation notices for residents in some areas of Gunnedah near the Namoi River. The local mayor said her biggest concern was people not staying away from the floodwater, including drivers going down town streets and "continuing to put waters back on (residents') houses". "It's very unfair when people are flooded in," Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller said. The police community and youth club offers a program for children who cannot attend school, local MP Sarah Mitchell told AAP. "It's tough, and obviously we think about people who are impacted," she said. "But we also see our community really rally together as well." Residents and businesses near the riverbank began preparing for potential flooding as rain persisted through the weekend. "We just sort of have to wait it out," Ms Mitchell said. "Just hoping the damage isn't too bad and that everyone can get on with cleaning up and back to normal life as soon as possible." The Namoi River passed the 7.9m major flood level early on Monday, rising to 8.44m by the afternoon ahead of an expected peak overnight into Tuesday. Wild weather hammered northern NSW across the weekend after floods and snowstorms stranded cars and cut power to homes. The search continued on Monday for a 26-year-old woman swept into floodwaters in the Hunter region, after the Mini Countryman she was travelling in became stranded in floodwaters north of Cessnock on Saturday night. The 27-year-old driver managed to get out, but her passenger was dragged away with the strong current, prompting police to repeat calls for people not to drive into floodwaters. State Emergency Service crews responding to the emergency saved a 40-year-old man who was stuck in a nearby tree due to floodwater. The man was swept out of the tree but rescuers followed him into the water and pulled him to shore before he was taken to hospital. Tens of thousands of households spent a night without power as heavy rain, floods and unprecedented snow wreaked havoc. The SES had received more than 3600 calls for assistance, responding to more than 2200 incidents including 25 flood rescues amid the bad weather. A severe weather warning was cancelled on Monday ahead of more settled conditions, although riverine rises remain a risk as floodwater moves downstream. "People in the warning areas should consider enacting their emergency plans - that means knowing where you will go in case you are asked to leave," NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said. The search continues for a woman swept away in floodwaters as rubberneckers worsen the damage for drenched residents. Scores of communities spent Monday mopping up and replacing roofs after wild weather battered Sydney and northern NSW over the weekend. More than two dozen schools were shut on Monday across the state's mid-north coast, Hunter and central coast including Kempsey High School where the main building roof was tossed into trees. Almost 60 warnings were in place on Monday afternoon including evacuation notices for residents in some areas of Gunnedah near the Namoi River. The local mayor said her biggest concern was people not staying away from the floodwater, including drivers going down town streets and "continuing to put waters back on (residents') houses". "It's very unfair when people are flooded in," Gunnedah Shire Mayor Colleen Fuller said. The police community and youth club offers a program for children who cannot attend school, local MP Sarah Mitchell told AAP. "It's tough, and obviously we think about people who are impacted," she said. "But we also see our community really rally together as well." Residents and businesses near the riverbank began preparing for potential flooding as rain persisted through the weekend. "We just sort of have to wait it out," Ms Mitchell said. "Just hoping the damage isn't too bad and that everyone can get on with cleaning up and back to normal life as soon as possible." The Namoi River passed the 7.9m major flood level early on Monday, rising to 8.44m by the afternoon ahead of an expected peak overnight into Tuesday. Wild weather hammered northern NSW across the weekend after floods and snowstorms stranded cars and cut power to homes. The search continued on Monday for a 26-year-old woman swept into floodwaters in the Hunter region, after the Mini Countryman she was travelling in became stranded in floodwaters north of Cessnock on Saturday night. The 27-year-old driver managed to get out, but her passenger was dragged away with the strong current, prompting police to repeat calls for people not to drive into floodwaters. State Emergency Service crews responding to the emergency saved a 40-year-old man who was stuck in a nearby tree due to floodwater. The man was swept out of the tree but rescuers followed him into the water and pulled him to shore before he was taken to hospital. Tens of thousands of households spent a night without power as heavy rain, floods and unprecedented snow wreaked havoc. The SES had received more than 3600 calls for assistance, responding to more than 2200 incidents including 25 flood rescues amid the bad weather. A severe weather warning was cancelled on Monday ahead of more settled conditions, although riverine rises remain a risk as floodwater moves downstream. "People in the warning areas should consider enacting their emergency plans - that means knowing where you will go in case you are asked to leave," NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said.
The Australian
3 days ago
- The Australian
Woman missing as NSW floods, snow in Northern Tablelands as weather system hits
An urgent search is underway after a woman was swept away overnight in rising floodwaters in NSW's Hunter Region. Two women in their 20s were driving about 16km north of Cessnock when their Mini Countryman became stuck as they tried to drive through floodwaters. Both women exited the car, and the passenger was swept away. The 27-year-old driver was safe. The search was suspended overnight and has resumed today. Rainfall totals as high as 137mm have triggered widespread emergency responses across NSW and southeast Queensland, after a barrage of wild weather hit both states. The NSW State Emergency Service has issued more than 40 flood warnings north of Newcastle, with parts of one town urged to evacuate immediately. Six streets in the Upper Hunter town of Scone were ordered to evacuate by 4am Sunday after 'major flooding'. 'If you remain in the area, you may become trapped without power, water, and other essential services,' the SES has warned residents. 'It may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you, and buildings may not be able to withstand the impact of flood water.' The NSW SES responded to more than 1,455 incidents caused by the severe weather, including more than 100 vehicles stuck in snow on the New England Highway, Waterfall Way, Norris Drive and Grafton Road. 'Unprecedented snowfall was recorded around Armidale and Guyra yesterday afternoon, creating dangerous road conditions,' the SES reported. The conditions are expected to ease on Sunday afternoon, but high levels of snow will make driving dangerous and there remains a risk of riverine flooding. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said snow had been seen as far north as the Granite Belt in southeast Queensland. 'Now all of this snow, particularly across the northern tablelands, did create some fairly dangerous driving conditions and some roads are still closed,' Ms Bradbury said. 'Conditions will gradually ease through the course of today, but they'll ease more rapidly overnight tonight into Monday 'By Monday, we're really expecting fairly isolated showers across the East Coast, with wind starting to pull back as well. 'However, we are likely to see hazardous surf persisting through to the middle of the coming week, with flooding likely to continue as well, our riverine catchments are saturated and they will take a few days to start to come down from those flood levels that are expected.' She went on to warn that a cold front hitting Western Australia could bring strong winds and thunderstorms. 'These winds will be ramping up about the southwest coast through this morning,' Ms Bradbury said. 'The forecast for Western Australia today indicates widespread showers and thunderstorms as the second cold front moves through, sweeping across those southwestern parts of the state. 'Thunderstorm could become severe through the course of today. 'We may also see small hail about the southwest coast of Western Australia today, including around the Perth area.' Brendan Kearns Cadet Journalist Brendan Kearns is a cadet journalist with News Corp Australia. He has written for The Australian, the Herald Sun, the Geelong Advertiser, CHOICE, Cosmos, and The Citizen. He won Democracy's Watchdogs' Student Award for Investigative Journalism 2024 and hosted the third season of award-winning podcast Uncurated. He studied as Master of Journalism at The University of Melbourne, before that he worked as a video producer and disability worker. NewsWire NSW Police are reviewing footage of an officer allegedly pushing a woman to the ground during a dramatic arrest after a car was damaged outside a school. NewsWire Flights have been delayed as thousands of passengers were forced to be rescreened for security from Brisbane Airport following a technical fault.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Water search dogs join police operation after woman swept away in flood
POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). POLICE divers and specialty water search dogs have been deployed to the Hunter Valley as part of the multi-agency operation to find a woman swept away in raging floodwaters on the weekend. Two Chinese nationals trying to get back to Sydney after a weekend in wine country attempted to drive through a causeway on Old North Road at North Rothbury as floodwaters surged through on Saturday night. The women, aged 27 and 26, a dog and the small car they were travelling in were washed into Black Creek, near Cessnock. The driver grabbed the dog and made it to shore but her 26-year-old passenger did not surface. Emergency services swarmed the area and a multi-agency search operation was launched, involving the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and police, including water and rescue officers. The search from the land and water, and from the sky with a drone, continued through the weekend. Police divers were tasked to help with the search when it resumed on Monday. Five canines from the VRA NSW Search Dogs squad and their handlers were also tasked to assist. Four of those dogs had been trained in water searching, the first of their kind in Australia. They are part of a wider canine team that assist the police in different circumstances. Squad captain Sue Pritchard said the specialist capability had been deployed about 14 times since it became active one year ago. The dogs are highly trained to find people in the water and on the shoreline, and can help narrow down search areas. "They are truly amazing, and they have been very successful," she said, speaking generally about the squad. They work in a range of conditions and have to be able to navigate debris and balance themselves on a boat. Their training is intense and they have to be so finely tuned to what they are looking for due to the varying water conditions, temperatures, winds and currents. They can smell, detect bubbles, and may lick the water. Their partnerships with their handlers, who have to be able to read what the dogs are trying to say, is key. "We need pretty resilient dogs," she said. The team is made up of cocker and springer spaniels, coolies and a border collie. The volunteer handlers all come from different walks of life and can be called to go anywhere to help out. Captain Pritchard said the team was just happy to be able to help families have their loved ones found as quickly as possible. The search conditions were difficult on Saturday, with rescuers battling poor weather conditions and visibility. Police confirmed family in Australia and China had been notified of the search and police were liaising with Chinese Consulate officials. The 26-year-old woman was in Australia working as an engineer and was visiting the Hunter. A 40-year-old man also attempted to cross Black Creek when his car was swept into the raging waters and he was rescued by SES crews who found him clinging to a tree. The incidents came as wild weather wreaked havoc along the east coast. Shortland Esplanade remained closed to traffic near Nobbys beach on Monday as City of Newcastle crews worked to clear a weather-related landslip. No properties were affected. The New England Highway was closed at Muswellbrook due to flooding but reopened just after 10am on Monday, August 4. Dozens of local roads across the Hunter council areas remained closed due to floodwater inundation. A small section of Raymond Terrace, along the Hunter River, was under evacuation orders on Sunday night. Part of Hinton was isolated on Monday, while Hinton Public School and Hunter Trade College were non-operational. On Monday, the SES warned Clarence Town, Seaham, Muswellbrook, Denman, Maitland and Singleton to monitor conditions and stay informed on flooding in their areas. Holiday-makers and locals on the Mid North Coast were hit with what one resident described as 'mini cyclone' conditions on the weekend, causing damage to structures. The sun came out in Newcastle on Monday and conditions are expected to remain dry on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
