Winds of up to 78 kilometres per hour and rain exceeding 41 millimetres battered the Yass Valley at the weekend, forcing State Emergency Service volunteers to remain on-call.
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The Sutton NSW State Emergency Service (SES) attended 13 calls for assistance to remove fallen trees blocking roads and to help in closing roads during the recent heavy rain and strong winds.
Units were tasked on Friday night to a large tree that fell across Nanima Road at the intersection with Murrumbateman Road, blocking the road. Another tree closed Cork Street in Gundaroo.
“The severe weather warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology resulted in very strong wind and rain in and around the Yass Valley, resulting in trees falling across many roads,” Sutton Unit Operations Officer, Michael Holmes said.
“While the Sutton unit responded to the tree on Nanima, our volunteers had to also attend Murrumbateman Road as there was flooding across the road.”
Sutton Unit Volunteers also closed a number of low level river crossings along Yass River.
“With all the recent rain, the water runs off the land and into the creeks and into the Yass River, which is resulting in regularly closing the roads. With the force of floodwaters, it can easily wash a vehicle off a low level crossing, which occurred last month at Booths Crossing. “We ask drivers to read the road condition signs on Shingle Hill Way and travel via Sutton Village when the road is closed.”
Yass Police reported a tree down on the Hume Highway near Jerrawa Road at 2.38am on Saturday, with Roads and Maritime Services removing the obstruction.
A motorist also collided with another tree on the highway, about 500 metres north of the first incident, a short time later.
Police dragged the tree off the highway and the driver was not injured but his car sustained a small amount of damage.
Another tree fell overnight on Friday on Dalton Road and was removed by the Upper Lachlan Shire Council
“We remind people to obey traffic signs, do not drive through the barricades, destroying these important safety devices. Please do not drive, walk and play in flood waters and for SES assistance call 132500”, Mr Holmes said.
According to Climatologist David Barlow from the Bureau of Meteorology, rains will continue to persist all week with the Yass Valley to experience a 70 per cent chance of rainfall.
Temperatures have been erratic across the weekend with tops of 14 degrees and lows of minus one - cold enough to make a snowman.
Learn how to be Stormsafe at www.stormsafe.com.au and Floodsafe at www.floodsafe.com.au.
