NSW:Rivers fall but flood reprieve won't last

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2010
NSW:Rivers fall but flood reprieve won't last

SYDNEY, Dec 7 AAP - Rivers in flood-stricken parts of NSW have continued to fall overnight,
authorities say, but the reprieve for thousands of residents is unlikely to last long.

The State Emergency Service (SES) said Wagga Wagga, Gumly Gumly and Coonamble remain
on alert as the Murrumbidgee and Castlereagh rivers face the possibility of further rises.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has predicted heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday
and major flood warnings remain in place for affected areas in the state's southwest,
central west and north.

"The rivers ... have slowly fallen, which is great news," SES spokesman Dave Webber
told AAP on Tuesday.

But evacuation warning orders are still current for parts of Wagga Wagga, Gumly Gumly
and Coonamble, and authorities are closely monitoring the rivers, with further adverse
weather expected.

The weather bureau is predicting heavy rain is predicted for most of NSW on Wednesday
and Thursday.

"If there is rainfall over Wednesday and Thursday it will actually cause further river
rises for those already flood affected areas," Mr Webber said.

Wee Waa on the Namoi River in the state's north is also bracing for major flooding
which will isolate the township of 2000 people, the SES says.

The river is expected to reach major flood levels late on Tuesday but an exact time
is not yet known.

AAP bzs/wjf/pc

KEYWORD: FLOODS NSW

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