16 NSW communities under emergency evacuation warnings

ABC NEWS (Australia)

People have been ordered to leave 16 areas in northern New South Wales before 9pm tonight because of potential flooding. It includes thousands of households in parts of Lismore, Kyogle and Coraki.

Transcript

00:00Alfred isn't here yet, but is already causing havoc.

00:08Water Police search rough seas off Tweed Heads for a missing jet skier, before finding out

00:13it was a false alarm.

00:15Tonight it's feared there could be more rescue missions to come.

00:19The weather is deteriorating rapidly for us.

00:22Whilst it may look like the rivers aren't flooding, there is high concern that they

00:26will start to flood overnight.

00:28The SES urging residents in parts of northern New South Wales to get out before nine o'clock

00:33tonight.

00:34Some had already decided to leave.

00:37Patricia McDonald was trapped in flood waters three years ago.

00:41We were up to our neck in water and had to be rescued by one of the tinnies.

00:46The Lismore woman and her grandson this afternoon got ready to make a quick exit.

00:51I've got all my stuff packed in my car pretty much.

00:53A delay in the timing of the crossing of the cyclone across landfall does not mean

00:58less impact.

00:59In fact, it could mean even more rain.

01:02Alfred is behaving at the moment like a completely unwanted house guest.

01:08He's told us that it's going to be late, but linger even longer.

01:11Dorigo in the northern Tablelands has already received a drenching.

01:14I went out to check the rain gauge this morning and I had 226mm in it, which is more rain

01:21than had been forecast for the whole event.

01:24These houses in Lismore have been vacant since the devastating floods of 2022 after being

01:29brought back by the state government.

01:31Today, the Premier confirmed a new round of support has been locked in for people in this

01:36region after the federal government agreed to fast-track disaster assistance for 15 of

01:42the state's local government areas.

01:44Everyone hopes they won't need that help.

01:47I'm a little bit anxious, a bit apprehensive because you just don't know exactly what to

01:50expect.

01:51We do know the cyclone is coming, but not how hard it will hit.

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