Remote towns to ‘prepare to isolate’ for up to 10 WEEKS after being cut off from civilisation by record floods

Aussies in remote areas of western New South Wales have been urged to ‘prepare to isolate’ for up to 10 weeks after being cut off from civilisation by floods. 

Emergency services issued major and moderate flood warnings for the region on Monday after floodwater flowed down from Queensland into the state.

‘We want the community to prepare now to isolate for an extended period of time,’ said Annabelle Watson, the NSW SES Western Zone’s deputy incident controller. 

Ms Watson warned those who chose to stay could be isolated for over two months and would have limited access to essential services and supplies.

‘Those who choose to stay could face power outages and loss of communication. We are here to support with resupply of essential food, water and medical supplies so there is absolutely no need to go near or through floodwaters,’ she said. 

Paroo River, near the remote outback village of Wanaaring, has experienced flooding higher than the 1990 and 2010 flood levels, the Bureau of Meteorology said. 

The river level is expected to peak near 5.30metres by Tuesday evening, surpassing the previous record of 4.90metres during a flood event in 1990. 

The NSW SES told Daily Mail Australia that, of the 350 people they estimate will be impacted in the Wanaaring area, none have been evacuated.

Aussies in remote areas of western NSW could be cut off from essential services for 10 weeks

Residents have been urged to ‘prepare to isolate for an extended period of time’ 

Mayor Lachlan Ford from Bourke Shire Council, which covers the Wanaaring area, addressed the rising river waters on Monday.

‘Our Shire is going through an unprecedented flood at the moment,’ he said in a video shared to Facebook titled ‘Minutes with the Mayor’.

‘We’ve had places inundated that have never had water in them before. 

‘The main thing in all of this is everyone’s safety and I implore you not to drive through water, or try and travel across any water.

‘There’s plenty of assistance out there.’ 

The flooding in NSW comes after Queensland was battered by extreme rain for almost a fortnight, leaving the ground in flooded areas of the state’s southwest so saturated, it cannot physically absorb any more moisture. 

A side effect of the saturation was that floodwaters started flowing down the river systems into northern NSW, causing river levels to rise in the neighbouring state. 

NSW SES has said it is a slow process but the water that overflowed from Queensland will work its way to the Darling River system to the Menindee Lakes.

Floodwaters have trickled down from Queensland into NSW, triggering evacuation warnings

Residents in western NSW (pictured) have been implored not to enter the floodwaters

Moderate flooding has occurred on the Warrego River at Barringun with flows expected to move downstream with a peak forecast for around Friday.

In north-western NSW, moderate flooding is continuing along the Namoi River at Bugilbone, where river levels are slowly receding. 

Independent MP for Barwon, Roy Butler, has encouraged residents to pay attention to emergency services. 

‘Evacuation may not be necessary, but just in case it’s best to be prepared,’ he said on Monday.

Here, Daily Mail Australia has provided a three-day forecast of the weather in your city.  

Sydney

Wednesday. Min 17 Max 24. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and early afternoon. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the early afternoon then becoming light in the late evening.

Thursday. Min 16 Max 26. Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog in the outer west. Slight chance of a shower along the coastal fringe, near zero chance elsewhere. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening.

Friday. Min 17 Max 27. Mostly sunny day. Slight chance of a shower in the outer west, most likely from the late afternoon. Light winds.

Flooded roads and homes are seen in Thargomindah in Queensland’s southwest

Melbourne

Wednesday. Min 9 Max 21. Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog. Light winds.

Thursday. Min 11 Max 26. Cloud clearing. The chance of morning fog in the southeast suburbs. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning.

Friday. Min 16 Max 24. Mostly sunny. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the morning then becoming south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon.

Brisbane

Wednesday. Min 17 Max 27. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening.

Thursday. Min 17 Max 27. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening.

Friday. Min 18 Max 27. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h tending southeasterly during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

The flooding in NSW comes after Queensland was hit with extreme rain for almost two weeks

Canberra

Wednesday. Min 9 Max 24. The chance of fog in the early morning. Mostly sunny afternoon. Light winds.

Thursday. Min 7 Max 25. Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog. Light winds. 

Friday. Min 8 Max 27. Mostly sunny morning. Slight chance of a shower in the afternoon. Light winds.

Adelaide

Wednesday. Min 11 Max 25. Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the middle of the day. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening.

Thursday. Min 16 Max 31. Mostly sunny. Winds northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h turning north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the afternoon.

Friday. Min 16 Max 29. Mostly sunny. Winds easterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northwest to southwesterly during the day then tending east to southeasterly during the afternoon.

Flooding is seen in the township of Thargomindah in Queensland on April 1

Perth

Wednesday. Min 16 Max 26. Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the late evening.

Thursday. Min 14 Max 28. Sunny. Winds southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h turning easterly during the evening.

Friday. Min 18 Max 31. Sunny. Winds easterly 25 to 40 km/h tending northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then shifting south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon.

Darwin

Wednesday. Min 24 Max 34. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the early afternoon.

Thursday. Min 24 Max 34. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

Friday. Min 24 Max 32. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending easterly during the day.

Hobart

Wednesday. Min 9 Max 20. Mostly sunny. Light winds.

Thursday. Min 11 Max 25. Mostly sunny. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h.

Friday. Min 14 Max 20. Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the morning. Winds west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the morning.

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