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Emergency crews will spend Wednesday cleaning up and assessing damage from flooding in the Canberra area, as clearer weather on Wednesday is set to bring a slight reprieve. ACT SES workers responded to a further four call outs overnight, with crews now having responded to 184 requests for help since the flooding began. Most of the jobs have been for leaking roofs and fallen trees. While Wednesday is expected to bring sunnier and clearer conditions, multiple road closures remain in effect, and authorities have warned Canberrans to still avoid the floodwater as it moved downstream. More than 50 millimetres fell across the ACT on Tuesday. An ACT Emergency Services Agency spokesman said crews would be out on Wednesday to complete outstanding jobs and to assess the damage left by the previous day’s flooding. Dams across the ACT are still spilling out water after they reached capacity earlier this week from the heavy rain. Across the border in Queanbeyan, SES unit operations officer Brent Hunter said water levels were dropping. He said it was a relief the Queanbeyan River did not burst its banks, reaching a high of 5.2 metres, down from the 6.3 metres first predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology. “With that water still going downstream, we’re still concerned about people using low-level crossing, with many low-lying areas still underwaters,” he said. “We’re concerned residents will try to cross the crossings because of the clearer conditions, but we urge residents not to.” As of Wednesday morning, Coppins Crossing, Uriarra Crossing, Oaks Estate Crossing, Point Hut Crossing, Paddys River Road, Corin Road and crossings in the Namadgi National Park have been closed to traffic. Dudley Street in Yarralumla between Novar Street and Kent Street has also been closed, along the Cotter Road. The Yarralumla road closures are expected to be in place for at least the next 24 hours. National parks and nature reserves remain closed off to motorists following the heavy rain. The deluge also caused a bridge in the Namadgi National Park to be swept away by the rising waters. The Naas Bridge, which crosses the Gudgenby River, was swept away by the floods about 7am on Tuesday. The road is one of the major crossings in Namadgi, and was undergoing construction work to widen the bridge to two lanes. Emergency crews were on the scene, as of 11.30am. Corrin Road at Woods Reserve has been closed after two small landslides. Namadgi National Park south of Tharwa has been closed, including the visitor centre, along with Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Googong Dam and Googong Foreshore, all swimming areas along the Murrumbidgee River corridor, Caves Crossing and Murrays Corner Crossing on Paddys River and Molonglo River Reserve. ACT flora and fauna conservator Ian Walker said they had been closed to protect people. “We are advising all Canberrans to avoid these areas as we see heavy rain and extreme weather continue over the coming days,” Mr Walker said. “Flood waters can occur suddenly and without much warning, leaving you trapped or stranded if you are unprepared.” Mr Walker said there could be more closures, and warned people to also be wary around trees and other debris in parks and reserves in coming days. “Strong winds are dangerous and will move fallen trees unpredictably and can even topple or uproot standing trees.” While large amounts of rain fell in the ACT on Tuesday, sunnier conditions are forecast for Wednesday. The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted just a shower or two on Wednesday, with just 1 millimetre of rain expected throughout the day. Partly cloudy conditions are forecast for the remainder of the week. Spectacular images have emerged of Googong Dam spilling large amounts of water into the Queanbeyan River, while Scrivener Dam also released water late on Monday night, as Canberra’s dams reached 100 per cent capacity earlier that day. READ MORE: Shannons Flat resident Sonja Valenta said the Naas Bridge, which collapsed in the flooding, had been undergoing significant construction. She alerted authorities of the collapse to the bridge just after 7.30am on Tuesday. “A lot of the concrete bollards that were holding up the bridge have been washed away and sections of the road as well,” she said. Cars were able to cross the bridge on Monday night, but floodwaters were seen rising close to the road level at the time, Ms Valenta said. The collapse has meant residents in the area would need to detour to Cooma in order to access Canberra, rather than cutting straight through the national park. The ACT has supplied seven crews to flood-affected areas in Sydney and additional crews are on standby to be deployed. IN OTHER NEWS: 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:
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Emergency crews will spend Wednesday cleaning up and assessing damage from flooding in the Canberra area, as clearer weather on Wednesday is set to bring a slight reprieve.
ACT SES workers responded to a further four call outs overnight, with crews now having responded to 184 requests for help since the flooding began.
Most of the jobs have been for leaking roofs and fallen trees.
While Wednesday is expected to bring sunnier and clearer conditions, multiple road closures remain in effect, and authorities have warned Canberrans to still avoid the floodwater as it moved downstream.
More than 50 millimetres fell across the ACT on Tuesday.
An ACT Emergency Services Agency spokesman said crews would be out on Wednesday to complete outstanding jobs and to assess the damage left by the previous day’s flooding.
Dams across the ACT are still spilling out water after they reached capacity earlier this week from the heavy rain.
Across the border in Queanbeyan, SES unit operations officer Brent Hunter said water levels were dropping.
He said it was a relief the Queanbeyan River did not burst its banks, reaching a high of 5.2 metres, down from the 6.3 metres first predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology.
“With that water still going downstream, we’re still concerned about people using low-level crossing, with many low-lying areas still underwaters,” he said.
“We’re concerned residents will try to cross the crossings because of the clearer conditions, but we urge residents not to.”
As of Wednesday morning, Coppins Crossing, Uriarra Crossing, Oaks Estate Crossing, Point Hut Crossing, Paddys River Road, Corin Road and crossings in the Namadgi National Park have been closed to traffic.
Dudley Street in Yarralumla between Novar Street and Kent Street has also been closed, along the Cotter Road.
The Yarralumla road closures are expected to be in place for at least the next 24 hours.
National parks and nature reserves remain closed off to motorists following the heavy rain.
The deluge also caused a bridge in the Namadgi National Park to be swept away by the rising waters.
The Naas Bridge, which crosses the Gudgenby River, was swept away by the floods about 7am on Tuesday.
The road is one of the major crossings in Namadgi, and was undergoing construction work to widen the bridge to two lanes. Emergency crews were on the scene, as of 11.30am.
Corrin Road at Woods Reserve has been closed after two small landslides.
Namadgi National Park south of Tharwa has been closed, including the visitor centre, along with Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Googong Dam and Googong Foreshore, all swimming areas along the Murrumbidgee River corridor, Caves Crossing and Murrays Corner Crossing on Paddys River and Molonglo River Reserve.
ACT flora and fauna conservator Ian Walker said they had been closed to protect people.
“We are advising all Canberrans to avoid these areas as we see heavy rain and extreme weather continue over the coming days,” Mr Walker said.
“Flood waters can occur suddenly and without much warning, leaving you trapped or stranded if you are unprepared.”
Mr Walker said there could be more closures, and warned people to also be wary around trees and other debris in parks and reserves in coming days.
“Strong winds are dangerous and will move fallen trees unpredictably and can even topple or uproot standing trees.”
The bridge was undergoing construction to widen it to two lanes. Picture: Sonja Valenta
While large amounts of rain fell in the ACT on Tuesday, sunnier conditions are forecast for Wednesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted just a shower or two on Wednesday, with just 1 millimetre of rain expected throughout the day.
Partly cloudy conditions are forecast for the remainder of the week.
Spectacular images have emerged of Googong Dam spilling large amounts of water into the Queanbeyan River, while Scrivener Dam also released water late on Monday night, as Canberra’s dams reached 100 per cent capacity earlier that day.
Shannons Flat resident Sonja Valenta said the Naas Bridge, which collapsed in the flooding, had been undergoing significant construction.
She alerted authorities of the collapse to the bridge just after 7.30am on Tuesday.
“A lot of the concrete bollards that were holding up the bridge have been washed away and sections of the road as well,” she said.
Cars were able to cross the bridge on Monday night, but floodwaters were seen rising close to the road level at the time, Ms Valenta said.
The collapse has meant residents in the area would need to detour to Cooma in order to access Canberra, rather than cutting straight through the national park.
The ACT has supplied seven crews to flood-affected areas in Sydney and additional crews are on standby to be deployed.
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:
