PERSISTENT rainfall has sliced the town of Bellingen in half, dumped almost 340 millimetres over the region in just two days, and promises an anxious week for residents and holidaymakers on the north and mid-north coast.
As night fell yesterday, the Bellinger River had burst its banks and caused moderate flooding in the south-west of Coffs Harbour, while there was moderate flooding around the Nambucca River and minor inundation along the Orara River between Coffs Harbour and Grafton.
The Bureau of Meteorology and State Emergency Service were monitoring the Tweed, Richmond and Wilsons rivers further north, as well as the Clarence, Macleay and Hastings river systems for signs they, too, could spill into surrounding countryside.
''Our part of the world is accustomed to flooding,'' the Bellingen Shire mayor, Mark Troy, said last night as the rain set in again. ''But each flood does bring its new challenges. There's a bridge dividing the town. It's a relatively low-level bridge [and] it's been out all day. The town itself is essentially cut in two.''
Yesterday afternoon, the Bellinger River at the Bellingen Bridge had peaked at around 7 metres, short of the 8.2 height that constitutes major flooding.
Mr Troy said locals - including those already isolated by floodwaters out of town - were worried what the morning may bring. ''Even though it pulled up short of a major flood [on Tuesday], any more significant rainfall will take it up to major flooding,'' he said.
The SES had hundreds of volunteers on standby in the flooded region yesterday and more were expected to join them today. One caravan park near Bellingen was evacuated yesterday, 12 people isolated by floodwaters were rescued near Urunga, and a further two people were rescued from a vehicle caught in floodwaters at Murwillumbah, the NSW SES Commissioner, Murray Kear, said.
''There's severe weather warnings all the way from Taree to the Queensland border,'' he said. ''On top of what's already been heavy rainfall … we're expecting 50 to 150 millimetres overnight. We have a lot of resources … preparing for further evacuations.''
North of the border, weather forecasters have renewed warnings for heavy rainfalls across most of south-east Queensland into today, with rainfall of 200 millimetres likely. SES workers were standing by to evacuate residents, who only last January endured serious flooding.
Moreton Bay Regional Council told residents of Dale Street in Burpengary, north of Brisbane city, and the immediate surrounds to leave their homes as there was significant risk of flood damage to low-lying properties.
''It's fair to say it's going to be a long night,'' the Moreton mayor, Allan Sutherland, said.
A trough moving south over the Northern Territory and Queensland was causing the heavy rainfall in the region and the first sign of it clearing is Sunday.
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