Evacuations ordered as Sydney faces more flooding, Warragamba Dam overflows after record rainfall
- People living in low-lying areas on the city’s northwestern fringes were ordered to flee to safety, while a national disaster was declared in New South Wales
- The rain and floods were also expected to delay the already halting roll-out of coronavirus vaccines in Sydney
Emergency services ordered people living in low-lying areas on the city’s northwestern fringes to flee to safety, as authorities warned of a potentially “life-threatening” situation in New South Wales state.
It came after the Warragamba Dam, which provides much of the drinking water for Sydney, spilled over on Saturday afternoon – causing officials to warn the downstream Hawkesbury River was expected to peak at levels not seen since 1961.
“It is one of the biggest floods we are likely to see for a very long time,” Bureau of Meteorology flood operations manager Justin Robinson said.
Floodwaters had already risen in several areas, prompting mass evacuations, and officials said another 4,000 people could be told to leave their homes in the coming days.