Students take floodboat to HSC

Bellingen residents watch the floodwaters rising after torrential rain on Monday night.

Cassandra Sutton

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Floods of May 2009

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STUDENTS sitting their HSC exams had to be transported by SES floodboat to a NSW north coast high school on Tuesday.

Torrential rain overnight caused by a deep low pressure trough over northern New South Wales has resulted in flooding on the Orara, Bellinger and Nambucca Rivers. 

The flooding has kept the SES busy, including acting as impromptu transport for four Bellingen High School students sitting their HSC exams today, according to an SES spokesperson.

The Bellinger River water level is slowly falling, with the river at Bellingen below its peak at around 5 metres.

Access from Thora to Bellingen is open,but Lavenders Bridge has been closed cutting access between Bellingen and North Bellingen.

Although the Waterfall Way to the Pacific Hwy is closed, residents can get through to Dorrigo.

On the Nambucca River, Lanes Bridge in Bowraville is closed with moderate flooding around Bowraville.

At Macksville some properties in the north of the town may have under floor flooding if the minor flood level is reached on the rising tide around 3pm Tuesday.

Brouggy’s Bridge (North Arm) is closed, isolating approximately 70-80 people.

Little Moody’s Bridge on Rodeo Drive is also closed.

On the Orara River minor flooding is expected in Glenreagh on Tuesday night.

Severe storms with flash flooding, damaging winds and large hail are likely to impact the north west of the state on Tuesday, with flash flooding from storms on the North and Mid-North coasts also expected.

Rainfall totals in the 24 hours to 9am have included 409mm at Crystal Creek near Bellingen, 399mm at Spicketts Creek near Bowraville, and 183mm at Repentance near Lismore. 

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