Worst flood on record inundates homes at Condobolin, Lachlan River thought to have peaked at Forbes
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The NSW State Emergency Service says record flooding at Condobolin in the state's Central West is inundating homes never thought to be at risk, while the flood upstream at Forbes is thought to have peaked.
The Lachlan River is sitting at a height of 7.41 metres at Condobolin — well above the 1952 record of 7.37m — with warnings it could reach 7.6m on Saturday.
People in more than 20 streets were this afternoon given until 2pm to leave.
"We've got homes that we never expected to lose that are full of water," Sue Bennett from the SES said.
A makeshift levee of dirt and sandbags has so far been able to keep water out of Condobolin's central business district.
Authorities believe the river has now hit its major flood peak at Forbes after days of major flooding.
The Lachlan River has been hovering at 10.6 metres for the past day or so and is steady.
The river was expected to peak at 10.8m this morning, equalling the town's highest flood in 1952, but Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller said authorities were hopeful the peak had been reached.
The SES said 1,000 people had been evacuated from Forbes.
Among them was resident Jillian Bray's pregnant daughter, who had to be winched from the roof of her home.
She was transferred to hospital after experiencing complications.
"I had to put her on a chopper," Ms Bray said.
"She was petrified, and I just had to say goodbye."
Ms Bray and her partner, William Simpson, fled their home in the west of Forbes after it became inundated earlier this week.
They were now camping in the vacant lot behind their house.
"We got everything as high off the ground as we could, but it was just too late — we had no chance," Mr Simpson said.
Their neighbour, Murray Sullivan, is staying in a swag behind his flooded home, and wading through floodwaters to retrieve essentials.
"When you walk in the house the first thing you see is a mess," he said.
"I've never cried hardly in my life, but I do feel like it sometimes."
Police are now searching for a third person feared swept away by floodwaters at Eugowra, with the body of one woman already found, and the search for an 85-year-old man continues.
Police say an officer was assisting an elderly woman trapped by floodwaters on Monday morning when she spotted an unidentified body of a man in floodwaters. The officer was unable to leave the woman and lost sight of the body.
There are also fears for Les Vugec, 85, whose family had not been able to reach him since the area was flooded and there were serious concerns for his welfare.
Dianne Smith, 60, was also reported missing on Monday night, after she called relatives from her car.
On Wednesday, police said they found a body believed to be hers.
About 80 per cent of homes assessed in Eugowra have been damaged after a devastating flash flood that locals described as a "wall of water" crashed into the town.
The SES conducted 284 damage assessments at Eugowra on Wednesday, with 225 buildings deemed "damaged" by flooding and many considered uninhabitable.
Eighteen members of the Singapore Civil Defence Force landed at Sydney Airport today.
The flood rescue specialists will be briefed and then sent to the flood zone.
"They are really excited to get out here and help," State Emergency Service NSW spokesman Adam Jones said.
"They are absolute professionals in what they do and they will complement the SES and other agencies in NSW in being able to support and save lives."
The crew will join another international team of flood rescue experts from New Zealand who arrived earlier this week, after the NSW government reached out for overseas help to relieve exhausted emergency service crews.
Federal Emergency Services Minister Murray Watt announced today additional defence personnel would be deployed to the flood-stricken Central West, totalling 200 in the region by this afternoon.
It is the largest flood emergency response in the state's history.
Mr Jones said the SES was also assisting in other areas including Lightning Ridge, which was isolated, and Hay, which was experiencing record flooding along the Murrumbidgee River.
There are 112 flood warnings still current across the state.
SES forward commander Joshua Clark said emergency crews would remain in the town of Eugowra for several weeks.
"We're now starting that transition into recovery and starting to wash out these residences, some of which are safe to enter," he said.
"We're providing [residents] hourly updates and community meetings to ensure that they're keeping up to date … and support mechanisms are being put in place, from welfare, things down to toothbrushes, sanitary items, toilets, showers, all those sorts of things.
"This will be a long road to recovery."
Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller said the government needed to do more to help local farmers and businesses that had lost their livelihoods in the floods.
Ms Miller said she spoke about the issues with the Governor-General when he visited the flood-ravaged region today.
"We have not been categorised as category D yet, which entitles the eligible farmers to get $75,000, and, of course, there are no packages for small businesses or people who have lost their belongings, so we need to get something happening," she said.
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