Heavy rains and floods force Australian Evacuations
Pastor Dale Morgan
Heavy rains and floods force Australian Evacuations*
AAP
November 07, 2009 01:00am
NSW emergency service workers are bracing for a long night following
heavy rain on the mid north coast that has forced residents to evacuate
their homes.
At Coffs Harbour 40 properties were evacuated on Friday night, SES
spokesman Phil Campbell said.
By midnight 37 people had been rescued from flood waters, while 4000
people were isolated in the towns of Bellingen, Bowraville, and on the
upper Bellinger River and the upper Kalang Rivers.
"`The SES is urging people in Coffs Harbour to stay within their homes
this evening and to delay all non essential travel,'' Mr Campbell said.
The Bureau of Metrology said an average of 170 millimetres of rain fell
over the Bellinger River Valley during the 30 hours to midnight, while
the Bellinger River at Thora reached 3.5 metres at 11.30pm (AEDT) yesterday.
A severe weather warning continues for heavy rain and flash flooding on
the mid north coast and northern rivers.