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The Bureau of Meterology are anticipating the Lachlan River to peak at the Forbes Iron Bridge at up to 10.7 metres on Sunday night.
According to a manual reading at Forbes Iron Bridge at 4:00am this morning, water levels were 10.67 metres and rising.
NSW SES Public Information Officer, Michelle Mavroyeni, says this flood is now uncharted.
“We are asking people to not compare this flood to 1990.
“This is behaving very, very different to any flood that has happened in Forbes,” she said.
“We’ve got 26 years of different infrastructure and changed landscape, meaning that a flood flows differently,” she said.
The town, expected to be cut in two today, will see the north of the Newell Highway cut off from the south of Newell Highway.
As the town begins to cut in two the assembly area at Jemalong Regional Education Centre will be activated.
The SES is asking people to stay vigilent and continue to watch the flood act and behave so they know their point to evacuate.
Yesterday the SES sent out Flood Evacuation Order text messages and door knocked properties of residents in low lying parts of Forbes.
These residents were advised to relocate by 5pm.
Forbes resident Andrew Kerr is relieved his family are safe from floodwaters but has concerns for friends.
“My family is high and dry.
“Probably like most people in my situation our concern is for a lot of our friends.
“It is great to see so many people getting in and volunteering to help out. A crisis in Forbes brings out the best in people,” Andrew said.
Residents in low lying areas who are yet to evacuate are asked to do so as soon as possible.
“Once you do every effort you can, there’s a point when you have to make a decision to leave.
“If this water does come to 10.7 metres, people may lose critical infrastructure and lose access to critical services.
“If people are going to choose to stay, it will be more difficult to evacuate them,” Michelle said.
In this major flood event, the tight-knit community of Forbes need to rally together and keep each other safe and informed.
“We’re asking people to tell each other what they see, and to tell the SES.
“We need to start sharing knowledge. Everyone can learn about this flood together.”
“We need to take care of each other,” Michelle said.
The SES will be on the ground as much as possible sandbagging residences and businesses and providing assistance to the community today.
Residents of Forbes are asked to comply with the information and advice given to them by SES volunteers.
The NSW SES Lachlan Region was staffed overnight, monitoring the flood impact in Forbes. A field team continues to monitor to the water levels on the ground in Forbes.
The Forbes Police Station has been stood up to a 24 hour Operation overnight. Local Police crews on the ground are tasked to frequent patrols in evacuated areas.
The SES understand the impacts of this water level on other communities including Bimbi, Cowra, Gooloogong and Bedgerabong, and continues to provide assistance to these areas.
Five Australian Defence Force army trucks arrived in Forbes last night to assist with emergency transport during the flood event.
The Bureau of Meterology reports an 80% chance of rain today.
Forbes has already seen 5mm fall overnight.