Lower Hunter SES and Maitland City Council are issuing warnings to Maitland residents to be prepared this weekend and into next week following the forecast of heavy rain and potential flooding across some parts of the city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As a result, council has reported on its Facebook page that it may close Melville Ford Bridge and put detours in place.
Heavy rainfall associated with a potential East Coast Low is forecast to develop through central parts of the NSW coast from the Hunter to the South Coast during the weekend and into early next week.
In other news:
This heavy rain may cause minor to moderate flooding along parts of the Hunter, Central Coast, Greater Sydney and South Coast.
Major flooding is also possible in the Hawkesbury Nepean Valley over the weekend.
Rainfall is expected to intensify further in the new week and may cause additional river rises and flooding along the NSW coast.
The BOM has advised that Maitland may see some minor flooding and as a result council is preparing to close Melville Ford Bridge. Updates on the closure will be available on mait.city/Alerts.
Oakhampton Heights, Scobies Lane will be monitored by SES - residents will be advised if there are potential impacts.
The SES is expecting some low-lying areas next to water courses to be inundated. Minor roads may be closed, and low-level bridges submerged.
In urban areas inundation may affect some backyards and buildings below the floor level as well as bicycle and pedestrian paths. In rural areas removal of stock and equipment may be required.
As things may change residents can stay up to date by following BOM warnings at www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings
Please stay safe by:
- . Following Port Stephens Hunter Police District, Hunter NSW SES and NSW SES Maitland Unit
- . Keeping an eye on Live traffic updates www.livetraffic.com
- . Being aware of local road closures, alerts and disruptions mait.city/Alerts
- . Calling SES on 132 500 for emergency help in floods and storms. In life threatening situations call triple zero (000) immediately.
Do you know you can subscribe to get full access to all Maitland Mercury stories? Subscribing supports us in our local news coverage. To subscribe, click here.