That's all for our live flood coverage today. Thanks for reading. Here's a summary of the headlines:
A natural disaster of “unprecedented proportions” has wreaked havoc across north-eastern NSW, with hundreds still trapped or missing and at least one man feared dead.
While people in northern NSW evacuate their homes amid rising floods, residents further south are bracing for worsening conditions.
In Queensland, thousands of homes have been swamped, pontoons and watercraft torn from their moorings, and schools and major roads blocked off as Queenslanders anxiously wait to see the extent of the damage caused by severe weather.
Goodnight and take care, especially if you're in a flood-affected area.
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9.31pm on Feb 28, 2022
‘The worst is yet to come’: Nervous wait for Grafton residents as water rises
By Laura Chung and Brook Mitchell
For South Grafton residents Wendy Hardy and Rick Lumsden, it will be a nervous wait as the floodwater has already inundated their home and the town’s levee threatens to break.
The flooding started for the couple at 6am when water began pouring into their home. They raised their fridge, washing machine and TV onto bricks.
Wendy Hardy and Rick Lumsden in their Grafton home.Brook Mitchell
But despite hours of moping and trying to sandbag the home, by 2pm water was pouring in from every direction. By 8pm, the water was up to ankle height in the house and knee height in the garden.
The couple tried to call the SES earlier today, but were told help wasn’t available.
“You can’t take everything,” Mr Lumsden said. “What do you do? You do what you can.”
Ms Hardy said in the 22 years she’s lived in the town, she’s never seen flooding this bad. As she walks through her inundated home, Ms Hardy takes down photos of her mother, who recently died, posing with her grandchildren and another photograph of Ms Hardy and her sisters.
Packing some precious belongings.Brook Mitchell
“We have to hang onto that – it’s very special,” she said.
The couple are concerned floodwaters will continue to raise when the water from further north, including Lismore, begins to make its way down the river system.
“It’s days of cleaning, the stench of top of that. This is not half of it – the worst is yet to come.”
9.11pm on Feb 28, 2022
More NSW towns ordered to evacuate
By
Since we last updated our map (below), there have been some additional evacuation orders.
Residents in low-lying areas of the following areas were ordered to leave home by the SES this afternoon and evening.
Casino
Maclean
East Bellingen
Lawrence
Broadwater and Cabbage Tree Island
The weather system is predicted to move south on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain to Sydney.
8.54pm on Feb 28, 2022
Farmers brace for produce and livestock losses
By
Farmers in the Northern Rivers area are coming to terms with the loss of produce and livestock as well as having to navigate the personal effects that the floods will have on their homes and families.
Macadamia farmer Warren Elvery said the loss of produce from these floods will be unlike anything they have seen before.
“There are going to be big losses in the industry in terms of quality and quantity,” said Mr Elvery, who is also chair of the Lismore branch of NSW Farmers.
“We had 347mm of rain overnight and all of the work we’ve done building up our soil and getting ready for harvest could be for nothing.”
NSW Farmers President James Jackson said that the full effects of the floods wouldn’t be full realised for some weeks.
“It may be weeks until we understand the full impact of these heavy rains, but our farmers and our regional people are tough and resilient, and they will get through this,” Mr Jackson said.
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8.35pm on Feb 28, 2022
Major road closures in NSW
By
Here's an update of the major road closures in NSW tonight due to flooding:
The M1 Pacific Motorway is closed in both directions between Cudgera Creek and Tweed Heads.
The Pacific Highway is closed in both directions between West Ballina and Glenugie
Lismore CBD: Roads closed including Dawson Street and Ballina Road
Bangalow Road is closed between Lismore and Bangalow
The Bruxner Highway is closed between Tenterfield and Mallanganee, and between Casino and Tomki
Summerland Way is closed between Casino and Grafton, and between Fairy Hill and Kyogle
Big River Way is closed between South Grafton and Clarenza, and at Tyndale.
The Gwydir Highway is closed between Shannon Vale (east of Glen Innes) and Eatonsville (west of Grafton) due to landslides.
Solitary Islands Way is closed at Corindi Beach
Waterfall Way is closed due to a landslide between Thora and Dorrigo Mountain
For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com or call 132 701
7.57pm on Feb 28, 2022
After Lismore, where will the storms and floods go next?
By Josh Dye
The extreme weather dumping heavy rain and causing severe flooding in Queensland and northern NSW is heading south, in an ominous warning for the Mid North Coast, Sydney and the South Coast.
Authorities are warning that the weather system is tracking south and advising communities further afield to prepare now while they have time.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood watch this afternoon for the Mid North Coast, the Central Coast, Greater Sydney, the Illawarra and the South Coast.
But NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said that, even with the best forecasting, it was tricky to know exactly which areas will be worst affected.
East coast low may dump 200mm in six hours in Sydney from Tuesday night
By
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for Tuesday night for the Central Coast, Greater Sydney, the Illawarra and South Coast.
The warning predicts heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding on either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120 millimetres are forecast, most likely south of Gosford.
But local falls up to 200mm in six hours are possible in some places, leading to "dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding". Thunderstorms are also possible.
There are likely to be damaging wind gusts exceeding 90km/h, with some destructive wind gusts exceeding 125km/h.
All this is due to the deepening low-pressure system near the Queensland-NSW border that's forecast to move off the coast later this evening, the bureau says. The east coast low is then expected to drift south tomorrow, parallel to the coast, and "rapidly deepen in response to an amplifying upper trough and low".
"Uncertainty exists on its exact timing and where the most significant impacts will occur," the bureau says.
Off-duty firefighter co-ordinates flood rescue from Facebook message
By
An off-duty firefighter helped co-ordinate the rescue of a woman and two young children from their South Lismore home today, after receiving a Facebook message about their plight.
With floodwaters rising and mobile reception cut, the woman managed to send a distress message to a family friend overseas.
Record flooding resulted in some unusual rescues. Elise Derwin
This friend then sought help through western Sydney's Narellan Fire Station Facebook page, writing: "Please small child in house TRAPPED GET HELP OUT THERE NOW PLEASE."
An off-duty Fire Rescue NSW firefighter, returning home after a North Coast holiday with her family, received the Messenger alert on her phone.
She replied to the man's message and rang triple zero to provide the trapped family's details.
Once the family friend got news of the rescue, they sent a follow-up message to the firefighter: “Daughter just made contact ... they got them out ... Thank you so much, guys/girls...God bless you”.
Acting Superintendent Mathew Sigmund said this was a lucky outcome and the public shouldn't rely on FRNSW Facebook pages as they are not routinely monitored.
6.37pm on Feb 28, 2022
How much rain has fallen in northern NSW?
By Pallavi Singhal
Some weather stations in NSW’s north have recorded up to 775 millimetres in the 24 hours to 9am this morning.
Dunoon, north of Lismore, recorded 775mm of rain, while Doon Doon recorded 698mm in that 24-hour period and another 271mm since 9am on Monday.
In comparison, Dunoon recorded 97mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Sunday, while Doon Doon recorded 132mm in that period.
Lismore Airport, which recorded 67mm in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday, did not have data for the latest recording period because the gauge was underwater by the early hours of this morning.
Most weather stations along NSW’s north coast, from Tweed to Coffs Harbour, recorded at least 100mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday, Bureau of Meteorology data shows.
6.14pm on Feb 28, 2022
How the Lismore disaster unfolded
By Billie Eder
A week ago, Lismore council asked residents to share their views on the area’s potential for flooding.
Seven days later the region was hit by the worst flood on record, with thousands evacuated and fears for the safety of many missing. Here's the timeline:
The community has pitched in to help people in need.Elise Derwin
February 21: Lismore City Council posts a reminder to residents on their Facebook page saying “Last chance to share your views on Lismore’s flooding issues”.
February 23, 9am: Bureau of Meteorology issues a severe weather warning for the Northern Rivers, which they say may lead to flash flooding.
February 23, 4pm: First minor flood warning for Lismore with the BOM issuing warning for a rising Wilsons River.
February 24, 10am: Wilsons River reaches 4 metres, just below minor flood level, and rising.
February 24, 12.30pm: Flood warning that the Wilsons River may reach 6.8 metres overnight and into Friday morning.
Record flooding in Lismore. Elise Derwin
February 24, 9.30pm: All levee gates closed and Lismore CDB is locked down.
February 25, 8.15am: Moderate flood warning along Wilsons River which may peak near 7.3 metres around 10am.
February 25, 11.15am: BOM expects river to remain around the moderate flood level of 7.2 metres into Friday afternoon.
February 25, 5.30pm: The river peaks around 7.21 metres with moderate flooding around 7am reaches 6.94 metres and falling slowly.
February 26, 3.30pm: Moderate to major flooding possible at Lismore from overnight Sunday into Monday. Heavy rainfall forecast across the Wilsons River catchment from late Saturday into Sunday and Monday, which may cause renewed river rises with moderate to major flooding possible.
The highway has turned into a river.Elise Derwin
February 27, 9.15am: SES organise sandbag filling stations for the public.
February 27, 9.30am: Flash flooding occurs in the “Basin” around Dawson Street, with pumps operating at full capacity.
February 27, 2.45pm: CBD congested and many businesses move stock from premises in case the levee spills. However, many businesses are hindered by the large amount of traffic in the CBD.
February 27, 5pm: Evacuation warning issued to Lismore residents. Flood levels from the Wilsons River may reach 9.7 metres by early Monday morning with rises to 10.6 metres possible during Monday. SES advises residents and businesses in low-lying areas of North Lismore, South Lismore, Lismore CBD, East Lismore and Girards Hill.
February 27, 8pm: Overtopping of the Lismore levee expected early Monday morning. River rises above 11.5 metres are possible.
Residents rescued by a group of Fijian abattoir workers.Elise Derwin
February 27, 9.30pm: SES issue immediate evacuation orders for those living in North and South Lismore. Residents in the CBD should evacuate by 5am on February 28.
February 27, 11pm: Overtopping of the Lismore levee expected around 5am. River rises around the levels of the March 1974 floods (12.15 metres) are possible on Monday morning.
February 28, 12.45am: "Lismore Evacuate now" warning issued. The levee is expected to overtop at 3am.
February 28, 5am: The levee spills and exceeds the level of flooding from the March 1974 floods which peaked at 12.15 metres, and exceeds the record flood level from the 1954 floods which peaked at 12.27 metres.
February 28, 3pm: Flood levels in Lismore reach 14.99 metres at Woodlawn. Heavy rain forecast to continue to fall throughout the afternoon.