THE absence of a major waterway has spared Orange from the worst of the damage in this week’s floods but other Central West centres – especially Bathurst and Dubbo – have been hit hard.
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Residents in both cities are watching nervously as waters rise higher in the Macquarie River amid warnings the flood threat won’t ease until next week.
A minor flood warning was issued in Bathurst as water gushed onto streets, with a number of throughfares closed, including the low-level Gordon Edgell Bridge at Hereford Street.
Fast-moving floodwaters and debris rushed across the road, forcing Bathurst Regional Council to close the bridge to motorists just after 8pm on Wednesday.
A number of other streets including Vale, Llyods, Freemantle and Ophir roads were all closed on Thursday morning due to floodwaters.
State Emergency Service (SES) crews received 14 calls for help on Wednesday and remain on standby.
Meanwhile the SES was urging Dubbo residents to remain cautious with the Macquarie River expected to peak around 7.6 metres on Thursday night.
The river initially peaked at Dubbo at around 4.79 metres on Thursday morning, before falling below four metres around 2pm.
But it rose again and was expected to force the closure of the Emile Serisier Bridge – for only the second time in six years – on Thursday night.
NSW SES Macquarie region controller David Monk said the most dangerous point of the flood – the time when water levels were dropping but still at minor flood level – had passed, but warned flooding would persist into next week.
He said motorists had taken more care on Thursday morning after SES personnel assisted in two flood rescues in Dubbo and Geurie.
In total, the SES had received 42 requests for assistance in the 48 hours to 1pm Thursday.
“The majority of those have been related to localised flooding. At this stage we’ll be going until Sunday,” Mr Monk said.
He said it would probably be Thursday before the threat eased.
