[LoloLibia]

Flood threat forces mass evacuation of Wagga Wagga



THE levee protecting Wagga Wagga from flooding is in danger of failing, as thousands of residents were evacuated in anticipation of the Murrumbidgee River reaching an 159-year high.

The mass evacuation under way in Wagga Wagga last night was prompted by new forecasts that the Murrumbidgee River would breach its levee system. The Bureau of Meteorology this morning revised its prediction of the flood peak upwards from 10.8m to 10.9m, well above the 1974 peak of 10.75m. The Murrumbidgee is expected to peak around noon and has already risen to 10.17m, above the North Wagga levee height of 9.9m.

The shock evacuation warning came at 9.30pm, only a few hours after the State Emergency Service had dismissed rumours sweeping through Wagga Wagga that the rapidly rising river level could go as high as 11m, well above the 10.7m levee height. The inundation of Wagga Wagga's CBD would cause the flood damages bill -- estimated earlier yesterday by the National Farmers Federation at much more than $1 billion -- to blow out further.

The looming crisis in Wagga Wagga emerged as a cyclone brewed off Queensland's heavily populated southeast corner, threatening more havoc after flash flooding in the region killed a man, engulfed cars, forced home evacuations and cut the state's main coastal highway. Four thousand people were last night being ordered to leave their homes in central Wagga Wagga and Flowerdale by six o'clock this morning.

State Emergency Service regional commander James McTavish had earlier told residents there were no concerns for the Wagga CBD after rumours swept the town. Last night, he announced the levee would not hold against the rising river. "We do have a great deal of concern with regard to the levee breaching," Mr McTavish said.

"People should note that if there is a levee breach, the model we have suggests the CBD area could be flooded within 30 minutes. Do not delay your evacuation . . . The river is rising very rapidly. Remaining in flooded areas is extremely dangerous and may place your life at risk." Evacuation centres were set up around Wagga Wagga last night as defence force personnel door-knocked residents.

The evacuees now join residents of North Wagga Wagga who were preparing for a third night away from home, with the 9.9m levee protecting the suburb expected to be breached today. More than 700 homes around North and East Wagga Wagga as well as nearby Gumly Gumly have been evacuated, with most residents seeking refuge with friends or family.

Bruce and Tracey Forge rushed out of their North Wagga Wagga home at midnight on Sunday following the evacuation order and are now settled at a local motel. Yesterday they were anxious to be allowed home to feed their prized pet birds, which had to be left behind.

"I don't want to lose them, there are a few dollars there," Mr Forge said. "We weren't planning on going until they said the water was going to be pushing 10.5m, that's a different story. We've got virtually nowhere else to go, but you can't argue with Mother Nature."

North Wagga Wagga publican Rod Gestier had planned to stay at his Black Swan pub, but decided to leave yesterday morning as the water inched higher up the levee. "I don't want to drown over a dirty old pub," he said. As Wagga Wagga prepared for the flood emergency authorities also turned their attention to the NSW irrigation hubs of Griffith and Leeton as a wall of water continues to sweep down the swollen Murrumbidgee River.

Wagga Wagga Mayor Kerry Pascoe said residents had handled the flooding well, with many volunteering to help with sandbagging. "Everybody is getting on with their duties," he said. "Our last flood was in December 2010. We got through that OK, but . . . this will be a lot worse." The NSW government yesterday issued nine further natural-disaster declarations, bringing the total this year to 35.

There was good news in Queanbeyan, near Canberra, where evacuation orders were lifted. And water levels continued to fall in the two main watercourses at Cooma, south of Canberra, which last Thursday was threatened with major damage. Scores of evacuated residents were returning to their homes yesterday. Shire engineers at Cooma were able to begin assessing damage to roads and infrastructure.

It was a similar story for Goulburn, an SES spokesman said. The northern Victorian towns of Nathalia and Numurkah remain the focus of the State Emergency Service today, with flood waters tipped to remain high across the region for days. Crews are trying to secure the levee in Nathalia, north of Shepparton, with water expected to hit the sandbags on today before peaking between 3.2m and 3.35m on Thursday.

SES spokesman Lachlan Quick said the town of Numurkah also remains a concern as waters recede at a slower than expected rate. "The area north of Shepparton is going to be the key focus for us again today,'' he said.

Additional reporting: AAP