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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Hannah Neale

200mm of rainfall inundates the South Coast

While the ACT remains relatively unscathed after recent wet weather, parts of the South Coast have been battered by heavy rainfall overnight.

The ACT recorded 34 millimetres of rain in the 24 hours to 9am, Friday.

In comparison, a number of areas on the coast had recorded more than 200 millimetres in the 24 hours up to 9am on Friday with flooding at the town of Mogo.

Floodwaters in a zebra enclosure at Mogo Zoo. Picture: Chad Staples

Lake Conjola, near Ulladulla, recorded 204 millimetres, three-quarters of which fell over six hours on Friday morning. Moruya recorded 209 millimetres, including 122 millimetres in three hours.

Floodwaters cut off a road on the South Coast. Picture: Supplied

Canberrans have been urged to take care if driving to the region.

This comes after the body of a woman was recovered following reports she had been swept away in floodwaters in the Snowy Monaro region.

Emergency services have been run off their feet responding to calls for assistance along the South Coast.

Floodwaters over a main street. Picture: Supplied

Angus Barnes from the Eurobodalla Rural Fire Service said they were assisting Moruya SES by filling sandbags and distributing them throughout the district.

"We've had a hell of a lot of rain," he said.

The highway at Mogo was underwater with the region cut off from traffic until Friday afternoon.

While the campground at Mogo Zoo was also underwater on Friday morning, the animals and zoo enclosures remain out of harm's way for now.

Flooding at Mogo Zoo. Picture: Chad Staples

Mogo Wildlife Park director Chad Staples said the giraffe, rhino and zebra enclosure, near the Tomakin River, was impacted but the animals were safe.

"There was a huge downpour overnight, we just became part of the river," he said.

Mr Staples said that while most of the water had now run off, the flooding was significantly higher than it had been in the past.

The [2019/2020] fires have changed the topography of the environment."

The zoo has stood on the banks of the river for 30 years, despite setbacks due to bushfires and COVID-19 lockdown, Mr Staples remains optimistic.

"This year has been very stop and start, very broken," he said.

"There is nothing you can do, I am very optimistic. The animals are my absolute priority in life and they are all okay, they are watching us crazy zookeepers running around.

"There is a hell of a lot of cleaning to do, the rhinos are loving the mud."

Flooding in the bottom enclosure at Mogo Zoo. Picture: Chad Staples

Closer to home, NSW SES Queanbeyan deputy unit commander of operations Brent Hunter urged people to clean out their gutters this weekend.

"The biggest problem we find is people don't clean out their gutters. A blocked gutter can push water into your roof bats which soak it up like a sponge and the roof starts to cave in and the ceiling starts to bow."

Flooding at a campsite at Mogo Zoo. Picture: Supplied

SES volunteers across Canberra were called out to 14 jobs overnight and 25 on Thursday. Crews attended leaky roofs, fallen powerlines and trees down across the region.

SES volunteers temporarily repair a leaky roof. Picture: Supplied

An Emergency Services Agency spokesperson urged Canberrans to make the most of clear skies this weekend and "be emergency ready".

"Take the time and spend the weekend preparing your survival plan," he said.

"Spend time talking to your family about what you'll do in the case of an emergency."

He said people should clean gutters, remove combustible material from around the home, trim overhanging branches and remove sick or dead trees.

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