Right here’s extra from NSW SES’s Ashley Sullivan from earlier this morning, per AAP.
He says even when the rain eases this week, as predicted, rivers will proceed to rise as a result of the bottom is already saturated from the final flood emergency.
Talking to 9 this morning, he mentioned:
We’re seeing these rivers rise a lot sooner than what’s been predicted. A lot sooner than what we anticipated
Issues are occurring faster. The chance … has elevated considerably.
The SES is asking folks to promptly heed evacuation orders and chorus from driving into flood waters.
When you depart it too late, it turns into a rescue and our emergency service companions and the SES have to come back and rescue you. We wish to keep away from that.
We’re nonetheless pulling folks out of automobiles, we’re attending lots of properties the place folks left it too late.
Quite a few evacuation centres have been arrange throughout western Sydney.
You can be taken care of. Head to the evacuation centre. Play it protected.
Albanese commits greater than $100m to Ukraine following secret journey to Kyiv
Josh Butler
Australia will ship greater than $100m in new assist to Ukraine together with navy tools, in addition to levelling sanctions on 16 new Russian officers, following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s secret journey to Kyiv.
Albanese tacked on a day go to to Ukraine on the finish of his European journey for the NATO summit, the place he met the nation’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and toured elements of the nation devastated by Russia’s aggression.
The PM mentioned in an announcement following his journey:
Russia’s brutal invasion is a gross violation of worldwide regulation. I noticed first-hand the devastation and trauma it has inflicted on the folks of Ukraine…
My go to to Kyiv and up to date visits by different world leaders sends a transparent message that democratic nations like Australia will stand side-by-side with the Ukrainian folks of their time of want.
The Australian authorities had saved the journey underneath tight wraps for safety functions, with solely a small pool of journalists allowed to journey with him to Ukraine, and a media blackout imposed on Australian media till he had left the nation. Nevertheless, worldwide media and Ukrainian officers reported particulars of the journey earlier, forward of Albanese’s workplace releasing an announcement round 6.30am AEST on Monday.
In his assertion, Albanese dedicated $99.5m in navy help, together with 14 armoured personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster protected mobility autos and different navy tools; a contribution to NATO’s Ukraine Complete Help Package deal Belief Fund; and $8.7m to help Ukraine’s Border Guard Service to improve border administration tools, cyber safety and border operations within the area.
Australia will impose new monetary sanctions and journey bans on 16 additional Russian ministers and oligarchs, in addition to plan to will intervene on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice in assist of Ukraine in its case towards Russia.
The federal government may also enable duty-free entry to Australia for Ukrainian imports, and prohibit the import of Russian gold.
Albanese mentioned the brand new contributions deliver Australia’s whole navy help to Ukraine to roughly A$388m:
I sincerely thank President Zelenskyy, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Australian Defence Drive for guaranteeing the security of my go to.
President Zelenskyy’s management has rallied the Ukrainian folks to defend their nation and impressed the world to assist humanity and freedom. The highway forward is tough however I’m assured Ukraine will prevail.
The mayor of Hawkesbury, Patrick Conolly, additionally spoke briefly on ABC Sydney.
I’m truly standing right here at Windsor Bridge proper now. They’re predicting a peak right here of 13.3 metres, which locations it barely decrease than March 22, however larger than March 21, however general, a really comparable occasion…
A lot harm from March and April hadn’t been repaired but. Or individuals are simply began repairs simply to have [them washed] out once more now.
La Niña prone to proceed into subsequent summer season
Watt can be fairly straight up in connecting the repeated floods with local weather disaster – a reduction, in some methods, to have politicians acknowledge the bleeding apparent, even only for discourse on these things:
It had been a really worrying sample, and we’re studying even this morning within the papers however La Niña is prone to proceed this 12 months, and we could possibly be dealing with one other very moist summer season …
You already know, the elephant within the room right here is local weather change. And you already know, for all these individuals who’ve been denying that it’s occurring, it’s proper right here now, it’s proper earlier than our eyes and that’s, once more, why we’ve obtained to take critical motion about local weather change, to make it possible for we are able to scale back the affect of occasions sooner or later.
Watt says there’s been “excellent cooperation between state and federal companies” to this point:
I wish to commend them for the proactive method that they’ve taken in ensuring that we do have sources on the bottom at an early stage. I believe we noticed over the past couple of years frankly, the federal authorities specifically was fairly gradual to reply and typically issues obtained slowed down in disputes between the federal authorities and the state authorities.
What we’ve got executed this time is attempt to get entangled at an early stage in discussions with the New South Wales authorities to type of attempt to preempt what is likely to be wanted in order that after which get the paperwork shifting. You already know, we’ve made positive that the approvals have occurred in a short time. As a result of the very last thing we wish to be doing is scrambling after the occasion to ship sources in when it’s all to love, we’ve seen that occur up to now, and we wish to keep away from that going ahead.
Murray Watt, minister for emergency administration, is talking on ABC Sydney. The federal authorities has made one other 100 ADF troops and one other couple of helicopters accessible in a single day to help with the NSW floods. They haven’t been used but, so far as he know, which he hopes “is an efficient signal”:
The key purpose they have been deployed was that whereas the New South Wales Authorities has plenty of plane at its disposal, they don’t have nighttime functionality. And the military helicopters clearly could be performing nighttime rescues and issues like that. So I believe it could in all probability be a great signal in the event that they haven’t been used, however we’re ready for an replace on that myself.
SES focusing efforts on Hawkesbury-Nepean space
Ashley Sullivan, responsibility commander for the New South Wales SES, has simply been talking on ABC Information Breakfast. He says they’re focusing predominantly on the Hawkesbury-Nepean space, however there are warnings in place within the Blue Mountains and out to Bathurst, Wellington, the Hunter Valley, Central Coast.
Sullivan:
There’s all warnings, climate warnings or flood warnings present for these communities. Hawkesbury-Nepean is definitely a priority of ours, notably with the climate predicted within the subsequent 24 to 48 hours. If that rainfall does occasion out, that’s an actual concern for the New South Wales SES. We’re making ready. We’re mobilising as many emergency providers as we are able to. We’ve obtained ADF in assist. Our new capabilities in high-clearance autos are on the market supporting our communities and conserving our personal. We do ask these communities to essentially take into account that journey. Put together your house emergency plan, evacuate if you should. Search assist of pals and emergency providers if required.
Good morning
Thousands of people have been evacuated in greater Sydney and greater than 130 rescues have taken place up to now 24 hours as an east coast low, which is anticipated to persist till Tuesday, introduced widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and flash flooding throughout the state.
Greater than 60 evacuation orders are in place within the metropolis. The Bureau of Meteorology says the heavy rain could result in flash flooding within the Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Sydney metropolitan and elements of Hunter and Central Coast districts as we speak.
In the meantime the prime minister Anthony Albanese has visited Ukraine and pledged to increase Australia’s aid to the worn-torn nation in a gathering with president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
We’re going to leap straight into it this morning. I’m Stephanie Convery and I’ll be with you till lunchtime as we speak.
When you see one thing that you just reckon should be in right here, you’ll be able to catch me by e-mail at stephanie.convery@theguardian.com or on Twitter at @gingerandhoney.
