Families evacuated, regions cut off | Northern Rivers Weather | Local Weather Forecast for Northern Rivers

Jessica Kellett | 22nd May 2009

The road to Nimbin was cut by flood waters yesterday afternoon.

David Nielsen

SOME Kyogle residents were last night being evacuated from their homes, while others were stranded in houses cut off by rising flood waters.

State Emergency Service, police, ambulance and fire brigade officers convened an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon in the town to assess the situation and plan for any worsening weather.

Their first move was to evacuate all residents from Kyogle's low-lying caravan park and move them to higher ground.

The park is home to 21 permanent residents, and some tourists were also staying there yesterday.

“We're taking the precaution of evacuating the caravan park at Kyogle,” Richmond LAC Sergeant Aaron Reid said.

Another 100 Kyogle residents were on standby for evacuation should the Richmond River rise above its expected peak of 12 metres, he said.

Emergency service personnel were also in contact with households isolated by flood waters in outlying areas of Kyogle Shire.

“There are 14 families isolated at Cougal and Green Pigeon and there are other pockets that will be isolated as well,” Sergeant Reid said.

Although the Bureau of Meteorology was yesterday afternoon expecting the storms and flooding to ease in that area, a number of roads in the shire were already under water, some houses had sustained minor damage and there had been some road slippages.

Some townsfolk were vowing to leave their homes in daylight to avoid having to do so in the dark.

How has the wild weather affected you? Tell us your story below or send us photos via email at editorial@finda.com.au.

Check out the destruction across the Tweed area thanks to the Sunshine Coast Daily

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Northern Rivers flood photos

Squalls blackout whole region

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