A car is washed off Shellharbour Road at Warilla during torrential rain on Thursday night. Photo: Illawarra Weather Warnings and Local Media Info/Jenaya Jade Nozza.
The good news is rain is expected to ease in the Illawarra during Friday (7 June) and we should see a “mostly sunny” Sunday and possibly a rain-free public holiday Monday.
The bad news is the torrential rain over the past 24 hours closed the South Coast rail line and many Illawarra roads. Dapto High School is closed due to access issues and a number of homes in Albion Park and Albion Park Rail have lost power.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the recent rains are due to a surface trough extending near the coast, with a moist onshore flow generating areas of heavy rainfall. It’s expected to bring more rain on Friday, before easing later in the evening.
The bureau has warned scattered rainfall totals of between 40 and 60 mm are still likely, with isolated totals of about 100 mm.
The latest rainfalls to 9 am Friday include:
- Cringila: 214 mm
- Port Kembla: 204 mm
- Warilla: 170 mm
- Wollongong: 156 mm
- Kiama: 134 mm
What you can’t see until floodwaters recede – Wool Road at Old Eworal Bay. Photo: NSW RFS St Georges Basin.
The NSW SES recommends drivers check the status of roads on Live Traffic before heading out on Friday.
Early Friday morning, the following roads remain closed:
- Shellharbour Road at George Street, Warilla
- Illawarra Highway between M1 Princes Highway and Tongarra Road, Albion Park
- Taylor Road between Illawarra Highway and Hamilton Road, Albion Park
- Calderwood Road between Escarpment Drive and Taylor Road, Albion Park
One lane of Jamberoo Mountain Road is closed due to a landslip just above The Abbey. Kiama Council will have traffic signals in place to assist drivers. The lane will remain closed until council can assess the damage and organise appropriate repairs.
There are also reports of water over the road at Primbee Bypass, just past Windang Road (northbound) and Marshall Mount Road at Calderwood.
Transport for NSW says train services have resumed between Thirroul and Waterfall after the closure of the South Coast rail line overnight.
However, buses continue to replace trains between Wollongong and Port Kembla until further notice due to localised flooding of the tracks. The line is expected to remain closed until the end of scheduled services on Friday night.
Transport for NSW says commuters should allow extra travel time as services return to normal, as there may be some gaps between services. Trains may also be cancelled, delayed or revised and have changed stops.
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
- Not drive, ride or walk through flood water
- Keep clear of creeks and storm drains
- Seek refuge if you are trapped by flash flooding in the highest available place and ring triple zero if you need rescue
- Ring your local SES unit on 132 500 for emergency help in floods and storms.
For more information visit the Bureau of Meteorology or the SES.
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