Warragamba Dam Overflows, Hawkesbury on Alert as Major Flooding Looms

Heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours has led to Warragamba Dam in Sydney overflowing, sparking concerns of major flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley. The region, including areas in Illawarra, South Coast, and the George River district, is on high alert as up to 200mm of rain fell overnight.

Residents living along the Nepean River were issued warnings after the dam started spilling at 4:20am, prompting fears of significant flooding along the river systems. NSW Premier, Chris Minns, expressed immediate concerns for low-lying areas stretching from Sydney’s southwest all the way down to Bega, with the State Emergency Services (SES) deploying staff to the Nepean-Hawkesbury region.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist, Angus Hines, highlighted that the already saturated land in the Illawarra region was at risk of additional flooding impacts as more rain is expected. Areas like the Upper Nepean River, Hawkesbury, Lower Nepean Rivers, and the George and Woronora Rivers are all under potential flooding threats.

The overnight downpour led to evacuations in Picton, where SES volunteers were going door-to-door to alert residents of rising floodwaters. The Menangle Bridge has been closed due to flooding, as the river levels continue to rise, prompting concerns of it reaching 10 meters by midday.

Sooley Dam in Goulburn has also begun spilling, causing flooding in low-lying areas along the Wollondilly River. In response to the severe weather conditions, the SES had over 400 storm-related incidents to manage in the last 24 hours, with the majority in the Illawarra and South Coast areas.

The bureau has issued a severe weather warning for the Illawarra and South Coast Forecast Districts, predicting more heavy rainfall throughout the day with scattered six-hourly totals between 40mm to 60mm. Sydney witnessed 57mm of rainfall in just 19 hours, accompanied by thunder and lightning strikes.