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Qld, NSW flood, but ‘worst still to come’ for NSW

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Heavy rain and flooding has battered central and southern Queensland over the weekend, as New South Wales braced for similarly dire conditions on Monday.

Residents in the Brisbane suburbs of Paddington, Woolloongabba, Deception Bay and Petrie took to social media on Sunday evening to report the rising waters, as Queensland Police confirmed that “extensive flash flooding was occurring across Brisbane”.

“We cannot stress this enough,” Queensland Police wrote on Twitter. “Stay off the road #bigwet.”

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In NSW, heavy rain and destructive winds began moving through Sydney on Sunday causing flooding in Oxford Falls, Rouse Hill, Greenacre, Bexley, Kogarah and Sutherland.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) warned the “worst weather was still to come overnight”.

Flood warnings were issued for 13 areas across NSW, with the Illawarra and south coast region expected to be hit the hardest.

NSW emergency authorities were also watching the Warragamba Dam near western Sydney which was still at risk of breaking its banks.

big wet queensland floods

Somewhere, below all that rain, was south east Queensland on Sunday. Photo: BoM

Rain could be seen soaking the Sydney Cricket Ground throughout Sunday afternoon’s Sydney Swans versus Melbourne Demons AFL clash.

SES spokesperson Stephanie Sullivan told the ABC more than 160 calls for help were made on Sunday, with that number expected to soar through Monday.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecasted damaging winds in the Illawarra and south coast.

Winds averaging 60 to 65 kph, with peak gusts in excess of 90 kph, are possible along the coastal fringe from early Monday.

Locations that may be affected included Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral, Batemans Bay, Eden and Moruya Heads. Northern and inland centres including Scone, Armidale, Glen Innes, Bombala, Nimmitabel and Khancoban would also be hit.

NSW SES spokesman Phil Campbell said damage would likely be caused.

“It’s going to be a pretty wild day in many parts of New South Wales and [it is] really important that people are prepared,” he said. “They’re [Illawarra and south coast] going to get the brunt of this weather over the next 24 hours or so.”

Queensland quickly battered

Numerous locations in southeast Queensland stretching from Caboolture down to Jimboomba recorded up to 70mm of rain within an hour late on Sunday.

On the Sunshine Coast, residents said a tornado-like storm went through early Sunday evening, ripping a roof off a unit block and several homes in Akerginga Place at Mooloolaba.

Conditions quickly eased from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane, but the BoM warned of local flooding.

Late on Sunday evening, almost 50 roads around Moreton Bay had been closed due to flooding.

The BoM predicted that the damaging weather system would leave Queensland late on Sunday or early Monday morning.

See the flooding below:

– with ABC

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