Ungarie on flood watch as creek rises, Beckom sandbagging

Ungarie was issued a flood evacuation warning around noon on Monday by the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), with the Humbug Creek expected to peak on Tuesday morning.

Nichole Richardson, Lachlan region incident commander, issued the notice on Monday morning.

“As a result of rainfall and waters flowing into the Humbug Creek at Ungarie, the NSW SES recommends residents in the low-lying areas of Ungarie should prepare to evacuate in the next 24 hours,” the notice states.

“This flood evacuation warning covers low-lying homes in Euglo Street and homes and businesses in Woolongough (Main) Street.

“Residents should monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate when instructed to do so. A flood evacuation warning will be issued by NSW SES if evacuation is required.”

SES Murrumbidgee region deputy controller Jon Gregory said the Mirrool Creek began to drop about 4.30pm on Monday, but warned there was still plenty of water over roads.

The engorged creek meanders around Ardlethan, Mirrool and Beckom.

Mr Gregory added that SES and Rural Fire Service crews will be monitoring bodies of water throughout the night in case conditions deteriorate.

Chief Inspector John Wadsworth from Griffith Local Area Command said an emergency meeting was held about noon on Sunday to discuss the situation.

“There’s a risk of Humbug Creek bursting its banks and with more rain on the way there’s a risk of flooding in low-lying areas,” he said.

“Police, NSW State Emergency Services (SES) and Bland Shire representatives were at the meeting and an extra SES crew is coming down from Cowra to assist.

“They’re doing sandbagging and we’ll wait to see if any evacuations are required.”

Ungarie Central School students were sent home around 9.30am after monitoring the situation.

“Ungarie Central School has temporarily ceased operations today,” a post to the school’s Facebook page said.

“There will be no staff or students on site once all students are collected from school. Parents will be informed if the situation continues tomorrow.”

The NSW Roads and Maritime Service advises via its Live Traffic NSW service that traffic on the Newell Highway at Wyalong is affected in both directions.

The RMS advises motorists to exercise caution and alternating traffic conditions are in place 10 kilometres north of West Wyalong.

Widespread rain in the north-western Riverina has caused minor flooding around the region, leaving plenty of water on the roads right across the area.

Temora’s Lake Centenary has spilled, causing a vast amount of water to cross Goldfields Way.

Pre-emptive sandbagging was carried out around the Mirrool Creek at Beckom, SES Murrumbidgee region deputy controller Jon Gregory said.

There has been more than 20 call outs across the region, including two potential rescues from floodwater.

In one case, at Tallimba, a motorist self-rescued after attempting to drive into floodwater.

Despite reports of a flood rescue required at Rankin Springs, a five-hour search yielded nothing.

"Most of the people that get caught up in floods are local residents who think they know the conditions," Mr Gregory said.

Motorists across the Riverina were warned to use common sense this week and not just rely on road closures to warn them of danger.

“With flooding events in and around the area councils may be inundated with jobs and may not be able to close roads immediately,” Chief Inspector Wadsworth said.

“Motorists must be responsible for their own safety and if they see flood water they should stay safe and not try to drive through it.

“We’ve seen the tragedies in northern NSW recently where people took a punt and drove through flood waters and lost their lives.”

Three motorists died in storms in early June when their cars were swept away by floodwaters.

One man died in Leppington in Sydney's south-west when his ute was washed from a causeway. Another was fatally swept away in the NSW Southern Highlands. And a third man was killed after he was caught in floodwaters near the Cotter Dam in Canberra.

Greg Newton, the Acting Commissioner for the SES said more than 80 cars were rescued when they became stranded in water during that storm.

“People need to re-think their actions and not drive into floodwater, because by doing this they are not only placing their lives at risk, but the lives of our volunteers who have to go out and rescue them,” he said.

“Entering floodwater is the number one cause of death and injury in flood, so everyone should stay out and stay alive.”

Last Friday, researchers at the University of New South Wales demonstrated cars could be swept away easier than people in flooded water.

Principal engineer Grantley Smith, who led the research, said he was surprised at “just how little water it took to make even a large vehicle unstable”.

“They became vulnerable to moving floodwaters once the depth reached the floor of the vehicle," Mr Smith said. "Even in low water depths and slow flow speeds, floodwaters had a powerful enough force to make them float away.”

In world-first tests using actual cars instead of miniature models, the researchers found a small car like a Toyota Yaris – which weighs 1.05 tonnes – was moved by water just 15 centimetres deep that had a flow speed of 3.6 km/h. It was carried away in 60 centimetres of water.

A larger Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive, at 2.5 tonnes, was moved by 45 centimetres of water and began floating in 95 centimetres of water, able to be pushed along by just a finger.

The cars were moved so easily partly because even shallow water can be deceptively strong, and partly because modern cars are so air-tight that instead of taking on water they get pushed along by it.

“People don't realise that even slow-moving water packs a powerful punch," Mr Smith said.  "Water is heavy: each cubic metre weighs about 1000 kilograms.”