When the words “east coast low” were uttered by the State Emergency Service late last week, it would have sent a chill up the spine of many a Hunter resident.
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The SES was warning that another low pressure system, of the type that caused the infamous 2015 April super storm, was headed towards the NSW east coast.
But nervous Hunter residents were spared the same destructive weather that caused Dungog and Maitland to be declared natural disaster zones last year.
There was a lot of rain and wind, but the conditions in Maitland did not even come close to the extent that some may have feared.
Hunter SES community engagement coordinator Amanda Hyde said there were no major incidents in the Maitland area, which is good news.
She said most of the 172 requests for SES help, as of 3.30pm on Sunday, were for assistance with setting up sandbags at homes, just in case.
“We were lucky – they had it [the brunt of the storm] north and south of us,” Ms Hyde said.
“But we missed the worst of it.”
However, in other parts of the state – like Sydney, the Central Coast and in northern NSW – the weather put the local population and infrastructure to the test.
Fairfax Media reported that about 500 people had been evacuated in Narrabeen and Lismore, and 28,500 homes in Sydney and the Central Coast lost power.
The storm caused havoc with public transport and on the roads – it also brought Sydney’s Vivid festival to a halt, with police and organisers asking people to stay home instead.
Pictures on social media and on news websites showed streets under water and rescue crews in action. It all looked familiar.
Maitland people know as well as anyone the impact that severe weather can have on a community.
So it’s important that our thoughts are with the people who have copped the brunt of this east coast low, as they get through the next few days and assess how best to move forward.
At the time the Mercury went to print on Sunday evening, a severe weather warning remained in place for much of the state.
Ms Hyde said the SES did not expect conditions to become worse in the Maitland area overnight, although more rain was likely.
