Regions of Australia hit with record rainfall

March 1, 2012 – AUSTRALIA – Regions of Australia have been hit with the heaviest rainfall seen in 80 years. Sydney’s Warragamba Dam had reached 93 per cent capacity and was expected to spill for the first time in 14 years between 8pm and 10pm last night, flooding the Murrumbidgee, Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers. A deluge in Central Australia made a string of roads impassable, with the wet weather expected to continue until tomorrow. Some areas in Central Australia had had more than 100mm of rain in the past two days. Typically, the Alice Springs district receives about 286mm a year.About 500 people in homes and businesses in low-lying areas, mainly in Mulach and Hawkins streets, were advised to evacuate early this morning. By lunchtime, 200 residents had registered their details at an emergency evacuation centre in Vale Street, including 70 residents of the Sir William Hudson nursing home. Beds have been set up at the centre in case it needs to be used tonight night. Inside the hall, a small group mingled over sandwiches and cups of tea. “There have been floods, but not as bad as they expect now,” Jan Hebron, 85, told AAP. “I packed up everything as best as I could.” Ms Hebron planned to stay at the centre for dinner before heading to a hotel arranged by the Department of Health. Others will stay with friends and relatives. Arthur Kent was half way through packing up his belongings when he got a text message from the State Emergency Service urging him to leave his home. But despite the flood warnings, many chose to remain at home. Up to 75 per cent of NSW is either under water or threatened by floodwaters. About 500 people at Cooma have been ordered to leave 370 properties. “The two surrounding creeks are just rising too rapidly,” NSW State Emergency Services (SES) Deputy Commissioner Steve Pearce told ABC Radio today. “We’ve lost all readings from the river gauges,” –News.au