Residents in the village of Euabalong in the south of the shire were issued with an emergency warning to evacuate by the NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) last Wednesday.
The NSW SES deployed a team to Euabalong last Wednesday which included members of several NSW partner agencies and Fire and Emergency New Zealand, with further support from members of the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
The crew helped to reinforce the levee bank after a breach was discovered in the retaining wall.
Cobar Shire Council general manager Peter Vlatko advised councillors of the evacuation order at Euabalong at last week’s Ordinary Council Meeting.
Mr Vlatko said while some of the elderly residents did evacuate, the majority have elected to stay.
He said the levee is currently holding the Lachlan River at bay but the village is in danger of being cut off by floodwaters (hence the SES’s evacuation order).
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Dean Storey said their resources were being focused on Condobolin and Euabalong along the Lachlan River, at Bourke on the Darling River and Deniliquin and also Moulamein on the Edward River.
“NSW SES members conducted community liaison in preparation for this predicted major flood in Euabalong,” Deputy Commissioner Storey said.
“NSW SES continues to undertake resupply for essential goods and medication while they remain isolated and sandbag requests.”
“In support of the NSW SES response to flooding, the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, has toured NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) Headquarters to be briefed on the state-wide flooding across NSW.”
Her Excellency met with SES staff in the State Command Centre, as well as NSW supporting agencies, the Australian Defence Force and international and interstate personnel currently assisting NSW SES to recognise their dedication to the communities across NSW.
NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnston said the visit from the Governor was wonderful recognition for the hard work that their members continue to undertake supporting the communities in NSW.
“Our members continue to work tirelessly to support the volunteers across the state as they respond on the frontline to the evolving flooding situation across NSW,” he said.
