Key Points
- Major flooding is expected at Wagga Wagga Thursday morning
- An evacuation warning has been issued for Wilks Park and North Wagga
- The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts major flooding at Forbes on Friday
- NSW SES responded to 664 requests for assistance, including 29 flood rescues, in the past 24 hours
On Wednesday afternoon, NSW State Emergency Services (SES) issued emergency evacuation warnings for Wilks Park on the Murrumbidgee River near Wagga Wagga.
It said the river is expected to exceed the moderate flood level (9.00 metres) today, and major flooding is expected in Wagga Wagga on Thursday morning.
Residents in North Wagga outside the levee and low-lying areas around North Wagga have also been asked to evacuate.
A polar blast is making its way across south-eastern Australia, making it the coldest November for many towns, including Sydney, in years.
Residents in Central West NSW also experienced snowfall as they prepare for major floods.
An evacuation centre has been set up at Wagga Wagga Showgrounds.
"Rainfall since Monday morning has caused moderate flooding along the Tumut River at Tumut and major flooding along the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai, where river levels have exceeded the April 1989 flood," the bureau said.
The evacuation warning remains current for Riverglade Caravan Park in Tumut.
The Murrumbidgee River at Narrandera may reach the major flood level early next week and is expected to exceed the moderate flood level at Darlington Point on Thursday.
Major flooding is occurring along the Murrumbidgee River at Hay.
The evacuation warning remains current for Moama Caravan & Tourist Parks, Cummeragunja, parts of Moama, Picnic Point, Poverty Point Mathoura and parts of Barham along the Murray River.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the Murray River at Echuca remains above the major flooding at about 94.90 metres.
Major flooding is continuing at Echuca, Moama, Torrumbarry and Barham on the bordering towns with Victoria.
Residents in low-lying areas of Cowra, a Central West NSW town on the Lachlan River, and Boorowa had already been asked to evacuate.
The bureau said moderate flooding is currently occurring at Cowra, Cottons Weir and Forbes and major flooding at Nanami, Jemalong, Condobolin, Euabalong and Hillston.
The bureau predicts major flooding at Forbes, about 90 km from Cowra, on Friday. The flooding could be similar to the 1955 floods.
"Spills from Wyangala Dam combined with inflows from the Boorowa River have caused moderate flooding along the Lachlan River at Cowra," the bureau said.
Recent rainfall has caused flooding along the Castlereagh River, and authorities expect major flooding at Coonamble on Thursday as floodwaters extend downstream.
In other Central West and Far West NSW towns, major flooding is expected to continue along the Macquarie River at Warren for the next few days.
The bureau expects moderate flooding at Singleton, 200 km north-west of Sydney in the Hunter Valley, today (Wednesday) evening.
In NSW's northeast, major flooding along the Namoi River is possible at Gunnedah from overnight Wednesday and is expected at Wee Waa later this week.
Moderate flooding is taking place along the Peel River at Tamworth.
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