Latest news with #TripleMNewcastle
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Epoch Times
NSW Flood Toll Rises to Four as Another Body Found in Submerged Car
A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four. The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road. His identity is yet to be confirmed. He's the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since May 22. In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man's death. 'These are horrific circumstances,' he told Triple M Newcastle radio. Related Stories 3/4/2025 5/21/2025 'That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities.' The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service. 'Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character,' Albanese said. A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning. A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said. The officer checked the water level, which was 'ankle deep', and told the woman he wasn't continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters. The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Waddell said. She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday. 'We're just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters,' Waddell said. 'It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there's been some tragedies ... obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised.' Flooding is seen in Port Macquarie, New South Wales on May 22, 2025. A slow-moving trough is dumping rain along the east coast of Australia, leaving thousands of people stranded AAP Image/Lindsay Moller A 63-year-old man's body was earlier found on a flooded home's verandah at Moto. The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday. There are grave fears for another man who remains missing. All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner. Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support. The allowance will be available from Monday. Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said. Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night. The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said. 'We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks,' Sedighkia said.
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Prime Minister visits the Hunter to tell flood victims 'you are not alone'
In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
'Horrific circumstances': PM reveals when Hunter flood funding flows
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
'Horrific circumstances': PM reveals when NSW Hunter flood funding flows
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Fourth person dead as body discovered in floodwaters
A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four. The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road. His identity is yet to be confirmed. He's the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since Thursday. In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man's death. "These are horrific circumstances," he told Triple M Newcastle radio. "That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities." The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service. "Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character," Mr Albanese said. A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning. A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said. The officer checked the water level, which was "ankle deep", and told the woman he wasn't continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters. The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said. She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday. "We're just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters," Mr Waddell said. "It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there's been some tragedies ... obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised." A 63-year-old man's body was earlier found on a flooded home's verandah at Moto. The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday. There are grave fears for another man who remains missing. All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner. Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support. The allowance will be available from Monday. Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said. Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night. The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said. "We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks," Dr Sedighkia said. A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four. The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road. His identity is yet to be confirmed. He's the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since Thursday. In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man's death. "These are horrific circumstances," he told Triple M Newcastle radio. "That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities." The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service. "Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character," Mr Albanese said. A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning. A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said. The officer checked the water level, which was "ankle deep", and told the woman he wasn't continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters. The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said. She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday. "We're just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters," Mr Waddell said. "It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there's been some tragedies ... obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised." A 63-year-old man's body was earlier found on a flooded home's verandah at Moto. The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday. There are grave fears for another man who remains missing. All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner. Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support. The allowance will be available from Monday. Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said. Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night. The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said. "We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks," Dr Sedighkia said. A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four. The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road. His identity is yet to be confirmed. He's the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since Thursday. In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man's death. "These are horrific circumstances," he told Triple M Newcastle radio. "That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities." The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service. "Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character," Mr Albanese said. A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning. A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said. The officer checked the water level, which was "ankle deep", and told the woman he wasn't continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters. The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said. She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday. "We're just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters," Mr Waddell said. "It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there's been some tragedies ... obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised." A 63-year-old man's body was earlier found on a flooded home's verandah at Moto. The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday. There are grave fears for another man who remains missing. All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner. Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support. The allowance will be available from Monday. Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said. Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night. The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said. "We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks," Dr Sedighkia said. A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four. The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road. His identity is yet to be confirmed. He's the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since Thursday. In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man's death. "These are horrific circumstances," he told Triple M Newcastle radio. "That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities." The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service. "Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character," Mr Albanese said. A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning. A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said. The officer checked the water level, which was "ankle deep", and told the woman he wasn't continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters. The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said. She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday. "We're just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters," Mr Waddell said. "It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there's been some tragedies ... obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised." A 63-year-old man's body was earlier found on a flooded home's verandah at Moto. The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday. There are grave fears for another man who remains missing. All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner. Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support. The allowance will be available from Monday. Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said. Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night. The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said. "We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks," Dr Sedighkia said.
