HAILING DOWN: This man bolted across Summer Street to escape the hail yesterday. Photo: JEFF DEATH 0201jdstorm03
FLASH flooding in the Unity Bridge area in north-east Orange may one day lead to a fatality, Orange City SES yesterday.
The thunderstorm that hit Orange around midday yesterday caused flash flooding, with the SES called out to seven jobs, including a car that stalled on the flooded bridge.
Orange City SES controller Kim Stevens said he had real concerns about continual flooding in that area.
“If we had an event like this and there were kids playing, the likelihood of a death would be quite strong,” he said.
Mr Stevens said while flood water was only 10 millimetres above the bridge yesterday, it was 40mm above during last weekend’s storm.
“That’s the highest I’ve seen it [last weekend]...[but] I think it could go higher,” he said.
It was during yesterday’s deluge that the SES were tasked with helping a motorist who had stalled his car driving across the flooded bridge.
“It’s not deep but it’s very fast moving,” Mr Stevens said.
“There was water in the vehicle but the chap was able to walk out of it.”
Mr Stevens said the creek level at Dalton Street, which usually registers at zero, was up to 1.25 metres high at 12.18pm yesterday.
“In 18 minutes the water rose 1.25 metres,” he said.
“It’s when cars drive across the roads, that’s where the problems are.”
In just half an hour yesterday wild winds and rain lashed the city, with significant rainfall levels recorded.
The bureau’s Kite Street and Spring Creek weather stations recorded 33mm, with 32 millimetres recorded at the Orange Agriculture Institute.
A number of businesses across Orange flooded during the deluge, including Kathmandu, Strandbags, Bed Bath n Table and the Coffee Club.
At the time of print yesterday Kathmandu remained closed, with builders due to assess damage to the store.