Authorities remain on alert to flood risk across New South Wales and eastern Victoria after a complex low-pressure system swept the nation’s east coast this week, drenchingcatchments.
Hazardous surf warnings remained in place on Thursday, with the system still “lurking over the Tasman Sea”, said Helen Reid, meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology.
Several places had received more than 200mm of rain in recent days. On the NSW south coast, Morton received 276mm, Currarong 252mm, Ulladulla 240mm and Jervis Bay 217mm in the 48 hours to 8am Thursday
In NSW, minor to moderate flood warnings were in place for the St Georges Basin, Hawkesbury, Shoalhaven, Peel and Snowy rivers on Thursday morning.
Heavy rainfall had also drenched catchments just over the border in eastern Victoria. Major flood warnings were in place for the Mitchell, Cann and Genoa rivers, and minor flood warnings for the Snowy, Tambo and Avon rivers.
As the weather eased on Thursday, emergency crews were out assessing the damage and helping people recover and get back on their feet.
“Our SES volunteers, who are doing a remarkable job, are out actually helping to repair and make safe roofs and windows and also cutting down trees to make properties and roads accessible to everybody,” NSW State Emergency Service deputy commissioner Debbie Platz said.
While many emerged relatively unscathed from this week’s heavy rain and powerful winds, some small businesses were still waiting for power to be restored.
There was blue sky and sunshine in Burrill Lake on the NSW south coast on Thursday, but Rian Gough was still waiting for the lights to come back on at her cafe, Rosie Oats, after most of the village lost electricity on Tuesday night. The flood waters didn’t quite reach the cafe, but the lack of power and refrigeration has cost her thousands of dollars in lost income and produce.
“I’m just literally throwing everything into the bin and taking it up to the tip, and hoping that the power comes on today so I can maybe open tomorrow and sell some coffees,” she said.
Long Jetty Family Takeaway on the Central Coast was also waiting for the power to be restored.
At the peak of the storm on Tuesday, strong winds tore off part of the roof and the business lost power.
“We can’t do anything until the power is back,” said co-owner Pauline Ureta, who was concerned about losing all the food kept in the freezer, fridge and cool room.
“We lose business every day that we’re closed,” she said.
Warragamba Dam, west of Sydney, began to spill at about 10.35pm on Wednesday after days of heavy rain, WaterNSW said.
The NSW State Emergency Service has responded to more than 4,000 incidents during the complex weather system. The majority of incidents have involved fallen trees and power lines, damage to properties and vehicles, and 10 flood rescues.
More than 2,000 volunteers and emergency services have been involved in the response.
Additional crews from the ACT joined response and recovery efforts late on Wednesday.
The NSW SES deputy commissioner, Debbie Platz, told the ABC that volunteers had responded to a “staggering amount” of incidents and the situation was “still a moving feast”.
“Just overnight, 1,400 jobs came in, and predominantly those are in the metropolitan Sydney area and then the south coast, and following that the mid north coast area.
“We have seen with these high winds, a lot of projectiles flying around – so trampolines and outdoor furniture that haven’t been tied down, but also trees that are coming down on properties and vehicles, and of course power lines that have come down as well.”
About 3,900 customers remained without power at 2pm Thursday, according to network operators Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy, down from a peak of 37,000.
The downpours formed part of a “vigorous” east coast low the Bureau of Meteorology predicted would move into the Tasman Sea.
Lord Howe Island residents were warned to prepare for increased winds and elevated seas, with waves up above five metres.
Damaging winds with gusts up to 100km/h were expected to continue through the morning around parts of northern NSW.
In other parts of the state, the coastal low brought surprising benefits.
Wamberal resident Mark Lamont, from the Save Our Sand community group, said the beach was in remarkably good shape – except for the very south end – after the storm dumped massive amounts of sand.
“It’s sunny here this morning at Wamberal, people are walking their dogs and the beach is buff – just full of sand.”
It was an unexpected result, given previous storms in 2016 and 2020 stripped the beach bare.
“It demonstrates that beaches are living things, they’re dynamic. Sometimes Mother Nature takes and sometimes Mother Nature gives.”
Researchers say significant coastal lows could become less frequent but more intense due to global heating.
“What we do know is that the strongest storms in general should get stronger,” said Dr Martin Jucker, an atmospheric scientist and senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales Climate Change Research Centre.
