Evacuations as flood waters rise

Jason and Ali McGrath woke up in floating tent in Chinderah.

John Gass /TWE250112evac

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• Rain brings "dangerous" floods

FINGAL Head and areas of Chinderah are being evacuated with major flooding forecast across the shire tonight.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Kingscliff TAFE and another at St Joseph's Catholic Church hall at Murwillumbah, with major flooding also expected in Murwillumbahovernight.

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Dam dwellers on alert

More than 500mm of rain has fallen on the Tweed Valley in the last three days with another 150-250mm expected to fall in the next 24 hours.

Many arterial roads leading in and out of Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads are now closed due to water over the road including Kennedy Dr and Tweed Valley Way, leaving many Tweed Valley towns isolated including Murwillumbah, Tyalgum, Chillingham, Uki, Stokers Siding, Crabbes Creek, Numinbah, North Arm, Tumbulgum, Bilambil, Cudgera Creek and surrounding areas.

At this stage, Tweed Coast Rd remains open however the NSW SES has urged motorists to avoid any unnecessary driving throughout the Northern Rivers.

Uki and Tyalgum residents have been asked to use as little water as possible as Tweed Shire Council is unable to operate water treatment plants until the weather eases and there is only limited reservoir supplies.

The Bureau of Meteorology is unable to predict when the rain will stop or how high the flood will peak ,but estimate the Tweed River will peak at Murwillumbah around 8pm and Chinderah at midnight.

Forecasts can be found at www.bom.gov.au

The Public Information and Inquiry Centre has been activated to provide information regarding displaced families, road closures, welfare assistance and all other general enquiries for flooded areas of NSW.

Call 1800 227 228.

For emergency assistance call the SES on telephone number 132 500.

For life threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.