Parts of NSW on flood watch, schools close as search for missing woman continues

SBS Australia

a day ago

A search for a woman swept into floodwaters in NSW's Hunter region is ongoing, after wild weather hammered northern NSW over the weekend. Emergency workers were called north of Cessnock on Saturday night after reports that a MINI car was grounded due to the floods. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, managed to get out, but the passenger, 26, was dragged away with the strong current. "We've had a number of areas in the Hunter Valley that have been prone to evacuation orders and warnings in relation to floodwaters," Hunter Valley police superintendent Steve Laksa said.
"I'd just ask the community to take heed of those warnings and do not enter any waterway."
Emergency services say riverine rises remain a risk as floodwater moves downstream, despite a severe weather warning being cancelled on Monday ahead of more settled conditions. Source: Supplied / NSW SES At least 26 schools will be forced to close due to the wild weather, with children from schools across the NSW mid-north coast, Hunter and Central Coast told to stay home on Monday.
"If a school is closed, it will not be offering supervision to students," the NSW Department of Education said in a statement on Sunday, noting learning-from-home resources would be made available for students.
People were stranded in their cars over the weekend amid unprecedented snowfall in the NSW New England region. Source: Supplied / NSW SES The NSW SES responded to more than 1,455 weekend call-outs related to rain, thunderstorms and snow.
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 managed to pull him to shore, and he was taken to hospital.
Tens of thousands of households in the eastern state spent a night without power, and people were stranded in their cars amid unprecedented snowfall in the New England region.
Warnings remain in place for residents across the mid-north coast, Upper Hunter and New England regions. Source: Supplied / NSW SES There are still more than 50 warnings current for residents across the mid-north coast, Upper Hunter and New England regions. Minor flood warnings are current for the Manning, Gloucester, Macleay, Severn, Paterson, Williams, and Gwydir Rivers.