Thousands of people on Australia’s east coast were cut off on Sunday by floodwaters which have claimed two lives, while violent thunderstorms and a series of reported “mini-tornados” destroyed homes south of Sydney.
State Emergency Services (SES) said the worst of the flood crisis in the north of New South Wales state appeared to have passed, with the waters mostly beginning to subside by Sunday afternoon.
“The rivers up north have pretty much peaked or are peaking,” an SES spokeswoman said. “Everything is pretty much on the way down.”
The Macleay River peaked lower than had been forecast in the town of Kempsey, 350 kilometres north of Sydney, and the town escaped major flooding.
Further south in the town of Port Macquarie some low-lying areas were inundated by the low pressure system which travelled down the coast and has swollen river systems from Sydney to Queensland state.
The State Emergency Service said isolation remained a concern “with around 20,000 [people] cut off across the north and mid-north coasts”.
“The New South Wales SES is monitoring isolated areas and will provide resupply or medical evacuation if required,” it said in a statement.
