NSW: Coonamble residents prepare to evacuate as river peaks

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2007
NSW: Coonamble residents prepare to evacuate as river peaks

SES volunteers have door-knocked 100 homes at the central New South Wales town of Coonamble
.. warning residents they may have to evacuate as rising floodwaters approach.

About 170 millimetres of rain fell at Coonamble during the 24 hours to nine am (AEDT)
yesterday .. which the Bureau of Meteorology says is more than the town's three-month
average.

Water levels of up to 4.6 metres on Friday night had subsided to 3.9 metres by eight
o'clock (AEDT) tonight .. but are expected to peak tomorrow afternoon.

SES spokesman PHIL CAMPBELL says they expect the Castlereagh River to reach a 5.2 metre
peak in Coonamble by about three pm (AEDT) on Christmas Eve.

A levee which borders one side of Coonamble is expected to protect the town from the
brunt of the rising river .. but "over-floor" flooding is still expected for some properties.

Further isolated showers are forecast for parts of the state's west and north tomorrow.

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KEYWORD: STORMS NSW (SYDNEY)

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