NSW storm causes Covid-19 vaccine to be delayed after flashfloods rip through Sydney

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A once-in-a-century storm battering New South Wales has delayed the state’s vaccine roll-out as torrential rain and flooding looks set to hammer the state’s east coast until Thursday. 

The Federal Government said the wild weather will affect the vaccine delivery of phase 1b to over 6.1million Australians in Sydney and across regional NSW.

Major flood warnings were issued across the state on Saturday, including for major Sydney rivers, while thousands of residents south of the city were warned to prepare to leave their homes. 

Just after 5pm the NSW SES told residents of Picton in the south-west of the city to prepare to evacuate as floodwaters rise to dangerous levels in the Stonequarry Creek.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning on Saturday morning covering an area from NSW mid-north coast where the towns of Port Macquarie and Kempsey are bracing more more flooding, to the far south coast and Canberra.

Major flood warnings have also been issued for the Hawkesbury, Nepean Valley and Colo Rivers as water levels are expected to rise to ‘moderate flood levels’ from late Saturday to Sunday. 

Earlier on Saturday a ‘mini-tornado’ tore through Sydney’s west and the Warragamba Dam started to spill over – sparking grave fears houses in the dam’s catchment will be flooded. 

The Nepean River at Menangle Bridge is expected to exceed the minor flood level by 5.20m around 9pm Saturday. 

Major flooding is possible along the Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean River with minor flooding is current along the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond. 

The Colo River at Putty Road is expected to reach the major flood level of 10.70m on Saturday night and into Sunday. 

The federal government said they were urgently working with doctors administering the vaccine to restore the supply of doses.

‘The Department of Health is working directly with GPs on these issues and we ask for the public’s patience and understanding with these unforeseen supply delays,’ a government spokesperson said.  

‘The Department of Health is working with logistics companies and doctors to determine when delivers of the vaccines can be received due to heavy rainfall and flooding.’ 

Speaking in an emergency press conference, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said the ‘extreme weather event’ would persist well into next week – with rain not due to stop until Thursday or Friday.  

‘The last time we got major floods in the NSW the weather event passed in two or three days, unfortunately, this will be a deep-seated, extreme weather event,’ she said. 

‘This is an event that will not be going away in the next few days.’   

The weather bureau warned of intense rainfall ‘potentially leading to life-threatening flash flooding’ and damaging winds averaging 60-70km/h with gusts exceeding 90km/h. 

The harrowing weather conditions saw a couple who were supposed to be celebrating their wedding instead watched their house float down a river.

The shocking footage shows the home of young couple Joshua and Sarah flowing down the Manning River in Taree on Saturday.  

The ‘mini-tornado’ also left a path of destruction through Chester Hill in Sydney’s west, damaging several homes and bringing down a tree. 

Shocking photos show upturned trampolines stuck to the side of houses while fences were seen completely ripped out of backyards.

After footage of Josh and Sarah’s home circulated online, a GoFundMe page has been set up to support the couple who tragically lost their pets as well as their house. 

Incredible drone footage also captured the mid-north coast town of Port Macquarie almost submerged as flood waters create a path of destruction in the area. 

‘Woke up this morning to these images on my timeline. Unbelievable. Port Macquarie CBD has gone under,’ one local said.  

Residents living in the Harbour City have been strongly urged to stay inside with the extreme downpour not expected to ease up any time soon. 

Around 120mm of rain is expected to fall on the city with even bigger deluges expected for further up the coast. 

‘We might see quite significant flash flooding and we’ve got a flood watch current for both the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers,’ bureau flood operations manager Justin Robinson said.

Record breaking rainfall was seen in areas on the mid-north coast such as in Kendall with the town recording more than 400mm of rain, meanwhile up to 300mm is expected in the lower Blue Mountains region.  

The bureau said strong winds may generate damaging surf, with significant wave heights of five metres in the surf zone bringing potential for coastal erosion.

SES crews undertook at least 500 flood rescues and responded to more than 4,000 calls for help, as a dozen rivers along the NSW coast flooded.

Sydneysiders are being told the best activity for the weekend is to stay indoors.

‘This will be the difference between what could seem like inconvenient rain, to actually something that might be quite dangerous and threatening,’ Agata Imielska from the BoM told the ABC.

‘It is really important for Sydneysiders to be mindful about reconsidering their plans.’  

The Parramatta River is also increasingly rising, with water flooding the nearby bike track. 

A flood marker was seen almost completely submerged as the river looks dangerously close to bursting.

The SES have also sent out thousands of ‘evacuate now’ messages to residents in low-lying areas around the state’s mid-north coast.

These include Taree’s CBD, Taree Estate, Dumaresq Island and Cundletown.

Those living in low-lying areas in Port Macquarie and Kempsey have already been evacuated.  

Evacuation orders have also been issued for Wingham, Lower Macleay, North Haven, Dunbogan and Laurieton. 

The regions of Hunter, Metropolitan, Illawarra and parts of Mid North Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and the ACT are subject to a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and surf. 

Emergency services have set up nine evacuation centres across the state for residents who have been forced to flee their homes. 

State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, has appealed for the public to not become complacent.

‘Members of the public in the flood affected areas need to heed the warnings and advice of the NSW State Emergency Service and all emergency services,’ he said.

‘Our message is clear – do not put your life or that of emergency service personnel in danger. Floodwater is extremely dangerous as it can have fast moving undercurrents that can wash people and vehicles away.

‘Everyone should always remember to never drive, ride or walk through floodwater.’

Meanwhile, police are appealing for public assistance to locate missing elderly woman Adele Morrison who was last seen leaving her home in Port Macquarie around 6am on Tuesday.

The 78-year-old was reported missing on Wednesday and police hold grave concerns for the woman due to her age and the severe weather conditions currently in the town.  

Ms Morrison attended a shopping centre at Gloucester, which is a two hour drive south of Port Macquarie, at about 10.45am on March 16.

Her whereabouts after this are unknown and family said it was unusual for her to not be in regular contact with them. 

Ms Morrison was believed to have been driving a red 2017 Toyota Corolla with the New South Wales registration plates DSN 47R.

Police issued an urgent text alert to residents in Gloucester, Barrington, Stratford and Weismantels in an urgent bid to find the woman. 

A kangaroo in Lansdowne had a lucky escape after it was caught in raging flood waters on Friday. 

Jenny Farrrell was filming the torrential rain outside her home on NSW’s mid-north coast when she suddenly spotted the animal jumping into the water.

Within seconds the kangaroo was being forced down the rapids as it desperately tried to jump onto the nearby land.

‘Come on buddy, get out, get out,’ Ms Farrell is heard saying in the footage.

Luckily for the kangaroo, it managed to pull itself out of the water and jump onto the grass and hop away. 

Meanwhile, major flooding is also occurring along the Hastings River at Kindee Bridge, Wauchope and Settlement Point.

The Hastings River at Kindee Bridge peaked at 12.1m about 11.00pm on Friday and is currently at 9.87m and falling with major flooding.

The Hastings River at Wauchope is currently at 8.5m and near its peak with major flooding.

The Hastings River at Settlement Point is likely to peak near 2.1m about 10am on Saturday with major flooding.

Major flooding also hit Macksville and Bowraville overnight.

Those living in low-lying areas of Port Macquarie were forced to evacuate on Friday, with a ‘significant’ number of properties set to be inundated.

Nearby areas of North Haven, Dunbogan, Camden Head, Laurieton were also ordered to leave, as well as those living in Kempsey and along the lower Macleay River.

On Friday night, the State Emergency Service told those on low-lying properties in Kempsey, north of Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast, to ‘evacuate the high danger area’ by midnight. 

The late-night evacuation order for eastern parts of the regional centre came amid fears the floodwaters could breach the town’s levee and cut off road, internet and phone access.

In the hours before, low-lying properties on the Lower Macleay, north of Kempsey, were ordered to evacuate as well as areas of Port Macquarie – home to almost 50,000 residents. 

The Georges, Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers in the Sydney region are also expected to rise from the floodwaters. 

Authorities have also warned flash-flooding could be ‘life threatening’ with roads likely cut-off by the floodwaters and an increased risk of landslips.   

Earlier, Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne said there was some uncertainty about where the heaviest falls will be this weekend.

‘There is a risk of that flooding reaching Sydney and the rain spreading into northern and eastern parts of Victoria,’ she said. 

‘In the outback [where there is less rainfall] there could be many months worth of rain in the next few days.’