People and livestock rescued from flood water overnight in Nanima, Harden and Young | photos & video

The Yass State Emergency Service (SES) Unit responded to people stranded on top of their vehicles in Young and Harden, local controller Kurt Bailey said.

Local roads became flooded, forcing people onto their car roofs for safety.

The unit responded to three flood rescues and a call for support from an ambulance crew that required a boat to get to a patient, Mr Bailey said.

All of the boat rescues were successful.

The Sutton SES Unit stepped into rescue 20-30 cattle stranded in flood water around 8pm on Nanima Road, Nanima.

The cows had been washed downstream in a flash flood, Sutton SES Unit duty officer at the time, John Ellis, said.

The farmer was concerned for the welfare of the cattle, according to Mr Ellis.

The Sutton Unit dispatched a flood and storm crew, one to tow the boat and the other to provide lighting.

The cattle were rounded up and moved into a neighbour’s paddock, away from the flooding, Mr Ellis said.

SES also responded to roof and property damage due to fallen trees or request for sandbags to help with flooding around the area.

The Yass River Crossing is currently closed due to flooding. The river had risen to 1.2 metres at 10am on Wednesday and was rising.

Yass Valley Council is responsible for closing and reopening the crossing.

A council spokesperson said it would be difficult to judge how long it would take to reopen the crossing, depending on the amount of water upriver.

More showers are predicted in the area today.

The rain was isolated and hit areas such as Young, Harden, Nanima and Gundaroo harder than Yass, leaving some local residents shocked to hear of flooding and to see the Yass River Crossing closed.

Yass Landcare member, Ross Webster, said the rain had hit the top end of the river catchment, out towards Gundaroo, causing the local flooding.

He said that the water would flow into the Burrinjuck Dam.

“It’s good, because if we don’t start filling our reservoirs now we won’t have any water for irrigation next summer,” Mr Webster said.

A Yass resident, Cheryl Enseleit, said she had never seen the river flooded in summer.

Never attempt to drive through flood water, even if it’s low, SES warns. Parts of the road may have been washed away by the flood water and the speed of the water can be unpredictable.

Nanima Road and Murrumbateman Road were closed by council last night, but have since been reopened.

Council provides updates on closed roads on its website and social media.

Council staff are currently clearing debris on roads caused by flood water. You can report debris that needs clearing to 02 6226 1477.

For emergency help in floods, storms and tsunami call NSW SES at any time on 132 500