news, latest-news,
Residents and emergency services are preparing for a torrential downpour to lash the ACT and surrounds, with up to 80mm of rain expected to close roads and submerge bridges. Queanbeyan’s State Emergency Service volunteers spent Monday night preparing to hit the ground running ahead of the deluge. SES Queanbeyan unit Operations officer Brent Hunter said crews were ready to tackle the damage left by the rain ahead, and the unit was keeping as many crew members close to home as possible, in case the weather turned for the worse. “At the moment, this is a manageable event for us, but things have been quite dynamic across the state,” he said. Across NSW, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as rivers rise, highways are shut and homes washed away. A Queanbeyan team were sent north to Picton to assist with flood rescues. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a minor flood watch for the Queanbeyan and Molonglo rivers on Monday afternoon. With Googong Dam at capacity and days of consistent rain, the Queanbeyan River had already started to swell. The four dams in the region are at 99.96 per cent. They have been nearing capacity since November, a remarkable turnaround from January 2020, when stores dropped to less than 45 per cent. Mr Hunter said rivers would continue to rise throughout Tuesday but there was no immediate risk to life or property. He said residents should stay alert and prepare their properties. “It’s all those regular maintenance things like cleaning out your gutters and, [residents should] continue to monitor the situation for the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said. Holly Mansell and her family have been living at the bank of the Queanbeyan River for close to a decade. The water has encroached up to her back fence before, about 20 metres from where the water’s edge usually lies. Holly said her family were prepared but not concerned about Tuesday’s downpour. The riverside home has been subject to many minor flood watches. The house has been prepared, items have been moved to a safe home. The family, like all waterside residents, will be watching closely as the weather unfolds. A Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council spokesman said rural areas with many low-lying causeways were of the biggest concern. Roads at Braidwood and Bungendore were closed on Monday including Resches, Back and Jembaicumbene creeks. Point Hut Crossing, Angle Crossing and Oaks Estate Road were also closed early on Monday. The ACT Emergency Services Agency warned other low-level roads would close on Tuesday as the rain hit. The council spokesman said workers would be out on Monday and Tuesday putting in place a “Band-Aid” fix where possible, but warned consistent rain would continue to cause problems. Read more: Mr Hunter stressed people should stay away from flood waters and no one should ever drive through fast moving water. “Last time [it flooded], the roads washed away and drivers didn’t realise until they were driving through them,” he said. “That puts their lives at risk, and the lives of our volunteers.” The Bureau recorded 12.6mm of rain in Tuggeranong on Monday and 4.8mm at Canberra Airport. ACT SES crews responded to 15 calls for help on Monday and 12 over the weekend, primarily for leaking roofs. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YSE9Nkng6wVvRADAVf7nRi/c00bbe7e-04e0-46f1-8f14-e981c4875bda.jpg/r0_324_4500_2866_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Residents and emergency services are preparing for a torrential downpour to lash the ACT and surrounds, with up to 80mm of rain expected to close roads and submerge bridges.
Queanbeyan’s State Emergency Service volunteers spent Monday night preparing to hit the ground running ahead of the deluge.
SES Queanbeyan unit Operations officer Brent Hunter said crews were ready to tackle the damage left by the rain ahead, and the unit was keeping as many crew members close to home as possible, in case the weather turned for the worse.
“At the moment, this is a manageable event for us, but things have been quite dynamic across the state,” he said.
Across NSW, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as rivers rise, highways are shut and homes washed away.
A Queanbeyan team were sent north to Picton to assist with flood rescues.
Oaks Estate Rd was closed due to flooding. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
With Googong Dam at capacity and days of consistent rain, the Queanbeyan River had already started to swell.
The four dams in the region are at 99.96 per cent. They have been nearing capacity since November, a remarkable turnaround from January 2020, when stores dropped to less than 45 per cent.
Mr Hunter said rivers would continue to rise throughout Tuesday but there was no immediate risk to life or property.
He said residents should stay alert and prepare their properties.
“It’s all those regular maintenance things like cleaning out your gutters and, [residents should] continue to monitor the situation for the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said.
Holly Mansell and her family have been living at the bank of the Queanbeyan River for close to a decade.
The water has encroached up to her back fence before, about 20 metres from where the water’s edge usually lies.
Holly said her family were prepared but not concerned about Tuesday’s downpour.
The riverside home has been subject to many minor flood watches. The house has been prepared, items have been moved to a safe home.
The family, like all waterside residents, will be watching closely as the weather unfolds.
Holly Mansell watches the Queanbeyan River rise at her back yard. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
A Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council spokesman said rural areas with many low-lying causeways were of the biggest concern.
Roads at Braidwood and Bungendore were closed on Monday including Resches, Back and Jembaicumbene creeks.
Point Hut Crossing, Angle Crossing and Oaks Estate Road were also closed early on Monday.
The ACT Emergency Services Agency warned other low-level roads would close on Tuesday as the rain hit.
The council spokesman said workers would be out on Monday and Tuesday putting in place a “Band-Aid” fix where possible, but warned consistent rain would continue to cause problems.
Mr Hunter stressed people should stay away from flood waters and no one should ever drive through fast moving water.
“Last time [it flooded], the roads washed away and drivers didn’t realise until they were driving through them,” he said.
“That puts their lives at risk, and the lives of our volunteers.”
The Bureau recorded 12.6mm of rain in Tuggeranong on Monday and 4.8mm at Canberra Airport.
ACT SES crews responded to 15 calls for help on Monday and 12 over the weekend, primarily for leaking roofs.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
