Coastal parts of New South Wales and some Sydney regions are being hit hard by stormy weather that is responsible for widespread damage throughout the state.
Flood evacuation alerts have been triggered and on Monday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning in NSW.
The bureau says trough along the coast together with multiple low centres are responsible for the increased winds and surf to the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Metropolitan Sydney, Illawarra and South Coast areas.
Evacuations have been ordered at the South Coast communities of Sussex Inlet, Moruya, Terara, East Nowra, Worrigee and North Nowra after a weekend of heavy rain.
NSW Transport Minister and Bega MP Andrew Constance told 2GB that the South Coast community was being tested by the wild weather.
“There was 260mm of rain in some areas over the past three days … It has caused extensive damage, a lot of infrastructure takes a lot of battering,” Mr Constance told Ben Fordham.
Mr Constance says there was optimism that the flood damage in the town of Moruya would be limited after the river rose by 2.1m overnight instead of the forecast 2.9m.
Properties across the town were cut off by flood waters, including dairy farms.
Officials are expected to carry out a thorough inspection in the town to assess the damage made and the risk residents face.
Mark Ethell, from the Moruya Waterfront Hotel, told 9News he had been urged to flee on Sunday night.
“They said basically you need to get out — and we’re the highest point in town,” he told reporters.
The NSW State Emergency Service responded to more than 1000 calls for help over the weekend.
