Thousands More Flee Australia’s NSW Floods

UPDATE: An urgent evacuation order affecting more than 8,000 residents has been issued for central Wagga Wagga in southern NSW as floodwaters continue to rise to a 160-year high.

MAJOR FLOOD WARNING FOR THE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER

Issued at 10:00 pm EDT on Monday 5 March 2012

Flood Warning Number: 30

The Murrumbidgee River at Wagga is expected to peak near 10.90 metres around 9:00am Tuesday morning with major flooding. This prediction is slightly higher than the 1974 flood event.

The Murrumbidgee River flood peak at 9:00pm Monday was upstream at Eringoarrah where the peak level exceeded the 1974 flood height.

Major flooding is expected downstream of Wagga Wagga.  (Source Australia BOM)

9 more areas declared disaster zones; at least 5,000 ordered to evacuate NSW flooded areas

Severe flooding across three Australian states has left at least two people dead and forced more than 5,000 to evacuate.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 5

[March 5, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,472 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

•  Australia.  Severe flooding across three Australian states has left at least two people dead and forced more than 5,000 to evacuate, with many others placed on high alert as flood levels continue to rise.

Australia rain map (week ending March 5, 2012)

• New South Wales (NSW).  The state government has declared 9 more areas disaster zones.
  • The new local government disaster zones are: Young, Upper Lachlan, Boorowa, Weddin, Coolamon, Corowa, Gundagai, Snowy River and Cooma-Monaro.
  • The government has now declared more than 35 local government areas as natural disasters due to extreme rainfall events.
  • Many areas remain isolated after the unprecedented rain including the towns of Griffith, Leeton and Narrandera.
  • Also evacuated are parts of Cowra, Ungarie and Yoogali.
  • Flood warnings have been issued for 15 river valleys across NSW.
  • The Murrumbidgee river has breached its banks in several areas, threatening to inundate the city of Wagga Wagga (pop: ~ 50,000).
  • Major Flooding Forecast for Wagga Wagga, Naranderra, Darlington Point, Carathool, Hay and Balranald.
• Queensland (QLD).  Parts of the state of Queensland (QLD) have been hit by the floods following torrential rainfalls.
  • A  town north of Brisbane, capital of QLD, received 312 mm (12.3 inches) of rain in a 24-hour period.
  • Flood warnings posted here.
• Victoria. Flood and weather warnings for the state of Victoria posted here.

Other Global Disasters

• KZN, South Africa.  “Hundreds of families have been left homeless and many roads and streets in Durban and other coastal areas north of the city right up to Kosi Bay were turned into raging rivers as tropical storm Irina wreaked havoc across the province,” a report said.

Australian Disasters

• Australia: Weather systems to remember!
• New South Wales (NSW), Australia: Disaster Declaration Extended
• Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding Posted  on January 30, 2012
• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States Posted  on January 25, 2012
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA Posted on January 18, 2012
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar