A total of 222 people have been rescued from floodwater in the past 24 hours, after heavy rain resulted in flash flooding and renewed river rises in an already saturated catchment.
An emergency evacuation order has been issued for Forbes this morning, with residents advised to evacuate before 7am.
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) spokesperson Andy Edmonds said the evacuation was promoted by faster rising river levels than initially forecast.
“Once it does reach those major levels, roads and access routes can be cut,” Mr Edmonds said. Emergency warnings are also in place for Dubbo-Western Plains Caravan Park, Forbes, Gooloogong, Cowra Caravan Park, Canowindra, Derriwong, Eugorra and Molong.
Communities at Collarenebri, Lightning Ridge, Tilpa, and Weilmoringle remain isolated. Brewarrina can still be accessed by trucks.
The SES said its focus this morning would be on townships where major flooding was occurring or predicted, and those towns which were isolated.
The LifeFlight special mission helicopter has been assisting in rescues through the Central West, with crews rescuing 18 people and 14 pets yesterday including dogs, cats and a turtle. Three people and a dog were rescued from the Ophir Reserve Campground near Orange.
The campers told crews it was not raining when they went to bed, but they awoke to water halfway up their caravans.
Crews also rescued a woman whose home was destroyed after her walls were blown out by the force of the water.
Major road closures include the Kamilaroi Highway from Bourke to Burren Junction, sections of the Castlereagh Highway between Walgett Shire Council area and Lightning Ridge, and sections the the Gwydir Highway from Walgett to Moree.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said roads around the Central West had been hit hard, particularly in the past 24 hours. “We’ve got crews on the ground and our focus today will be on getting the Newell Highway open. “It’s one of the most important freight roads in the country and we need to get our food from paddock to plate and port.” The Great Western Highway is now open to contraflow traffic.
