NSW: Coonamble set to survive rising flood waters

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2007
NSW: Coonamble set to survive rising flood waters

The SES says rising floodwaters are expected to pass the central New South Wales town
of Coonamble without incident.

A levee along one side of the town is effectively protecting it from rising waters
in the Castlereagh River .. flowing on from heavy rainfall on Friday night.

SES spokesman PHIL CAMPBELL says the river was still rising well past the predicted
peak time of nine or 9.30 pm (AEDT) .. and the peak has now been pushed back by the Bureau
of Meteorology a couple of times.

Fears that some 25 homes in low-lying parts of Coonamble would suffer over-floor flooding
have been dismissed .. although waters have isolated several properties including the
township itself.

Today the NSW Government declared the town and a number of other areas natural disaster
zones .. opening the way for residents to make assistance claims.







The SES says the most pressing issue facing it .. is the delivery of supplies to isolated
properties.

Mr CAMPBELL says the SES is using two helicopters and high clearance vehicles to reach
the properties .. and from tomorrow residents in the region should start to see flood
waters subside.

Some 171 millimetres of rain fell at Coonamble during the 24 hours up to nine am (AEDT)
on Saturday .. which the Bureau of Meteorology said was more than the town's three-month
average.

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KEYWORD: STORMS NSW (SYDNEY)

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