Residents across the Greater Sydney area have been urged to work from home on Monday, but not because of COVID-19.
Following days of torrential downpour, Sydneysiders are being urged to stay home wherever possible and avoid driving or public transport as large parts of the state battle potentially deadly flash floods.
“With the current weather conditions affecting roads and public transport across Greater Sydney, we’re urging you to plan ahead If possible, you should work from home and avoid unnecessary travel particularly in flood-affected areas,” a tweet from Sydney Trains read.
With the current weather conditions affecting roads and public transport across Greater Sydney, we’re urging you to plan ahead
If possible, you should work from home and avoid unnecessary travel particularly in flood affected areas
See https://t.co/laoXTbwiua for the latest pic.twitter.com/ZtyaEkpxJ3
— T1 Sydney Trains (@T1SydneyTrains) March 21, 2021
The warning comes as Sydney’s CBD area is expected to cop 85-150mm of rain on Monday and Tuesday, with Penrith and Campbelltown also expecting similar totals.
Thousands of Sydney and mid-north coast residents were evacuated overnight, with those in Hawkesbury, Windsors, McGraths Hill, South East Windsor, Wilberforce, Marsden Park, Riverstone and Schofields being told to be out of their homes by 9am.
For anyone in these areas, the Castle Hill RSL centre at 77 Castle St has been set up as an evacuation centre for those who can’t stay with friends or family.
A major area of concern on Monday is for those living along the Hawkesbury River, with 4,000 residents in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley being told to brace for evacuation.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond could reach 16.4 metres on Monday morning, which could result in the worst floods in the area since 1961.
More than 130 schools across the state are closed on Monday, including Penrith Valley School and Riverstone Public School. You can view the full list of closures here.
There are 102 current SES notifications, including evacuation orders, across NSW. For the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding flooding in NSW, please check the SES website.
We will aim to update this story as more information becomes available, but for the most up-to-date information, please refer to the SES website and social media channels.
