Not again! Panic buying hits flood areas with supermarket shelves cleared of bread, vegetables

Panic buying hits flood areas with supermarket shelves cleared of bread, vegetables as towns are cut off from supplies

• Woolworths at Lakewood south of Port Macquarie cleared of bread, vegetables
• The nearby NSW Mid North Coast towns of North Haven, Laurieton evacuated
• A local mum told Daily Mail Australia easy meal foods cleared by night Sunday 

By Stephen Johnson, Economics Reporter For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 22:00 GMT, 21 March 2021 | Updated: 22:40 GMT, 21 March 2021

Panic buying has hit supermarkets across New South Wales as the heaviest rain in a century caused flash flooding and cut off major roads.

The Woolworths supermarket at Lakewood, on the state’s Mid North Coast, was last night cleared of bread after residents were evacuated in nearby North Haven, Laurieton, Dunbogan and Diamond Head.

The towns on the Camden Haven River, 35km south of Port Macquarie, have seen panic buying reminiscent of the Covid lockdowns a year ago.

‘I went into the shops to grab bread for the kids’ breakfast and there was literally nothing on the shelves,’ a local mother-of-two told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The vegetable aisles were also bare. 

Panic buying has hit supermarkets across New South Wales as flood-hit towns deal with the heaviest rain in a century. The Woolworths supermarket at Lakewood, on the state’s Mid North Coast, was last night cleared of bread

‘I felt so angry and frustrated as we haven’t had power for days and lots of the food for easy meals was gone by the time I arrived.

‘But there are heaps of people doing it tougher than us.’

Making matters worse, the Pacific Highway is closed between Taree and Coopernook, stopping grocery supplies from Sydney and the Central Coast. 

Laurieton Public School, two suburbs away from the Woolworths at Lakewood, is closed on Monday after residents in lower-lying areas were evacuated on Saturday. 

It was one of 211 schools across the state that have so far been closed.

Residents were evacuated in nearby North Haven, Laurieton and Dunbogan (bus shelter pictured)

The State Emergency Service issued an evacuation order, advising floodwaters were set to peak at 2.1 metres and be higher than in 1978. Pictured is the oval at Laurieton which is now under water

The State Emergency Service issued an evacuation order, advising floodwaters were set to peak at 2.1 metres and be higher than in 1978. 

The Mid North Coast has copped the heaviest rain in a century.

Kempsey residents were ordered to evacuate on Sunday with major flooding possible along the Macleay River at Kempsey and Smithtown Monday morning.

Evacuation orders are now in place for low lying areas of Kempsey, Macksville, Port Macquarie, the lower Macleay, Wauchope and Rawdon Island, Taree and Wingham.

The evacuation order also covered Dunbogan which runs alongside the Camden Haven River

Locals are being asked to move possessions above the predicted flood height, take pets, essential items, warm clothes, medicines, insurance documents and valuables with them and stay with family or friends, or head to evacuation centres.

Kempsey recorded 173 mm of rain between 9am Sunday to 4am on Monday, and it’s not letting up.

Heavy rain is likely to lead to flash flooding and will remain a serious risk for the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast on Monday and Tuesday, the Bureau of Meteorology said. 

The Mid North Coast, covering Taree, Wingham and Port Macquarie, has copped the heaviest rain in a century. Pictured is Short Street in Port Macquarie

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