With water set to breach the Seaham side of the road, Port Stephens Council has closed Fitzgerald Bridge at Raymond Terrace on Tuesday evening.
The move comes as the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) warned motorists to avoid the area on 20 May.
It’s understood the only way to Maitland (from the north) is via Hexham, with Newline Road also out of action.
“The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) advises the Hunter River at Raymond Terrace is currently at 2.81m… and rising,” a spokesperson said.
“That’s above the minor flood level of 2.50m.
“But, it may reach around 3.00m overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, with minor flooding.
“So, if you need to get in or out of town, do it soon as it may not reopen for some days until the water levels drop.
“Renewed rises above the minor flood level are possible later this week as flows from upstream tributaries arrive.”
Based on predictions from the BoM, the following areas may be impacted by dangerous floodwaters:
- Low-lying areas along the Hunter River
- Low-lying roads and causeway
- Fitzgerald Bridge (now closed)
Emergency service personnel are also begging people not to drive through floodwaters as days of persistent, heavy rain potentially threaten lives.
About 4,000 homes on the Mid-North Coast have been without power, while another 400 in the Newcastle region are in the same position.
The Lostock and Glennies Creek dams, in the Hunter, are continuing to spill, while the nearby Paterson River has exceeded the major flood level.
According to the BoM, the Paterson River at Gostwyck Bridge is steady at a peak near 14m, higher than the 13.61m seen in the 2021 floods.
“This is a multi-day weather event that’s turned into a multi-day flood event,” hazards manager hazard preparedness and response Steve Bernasconi said.
“It’ll be focused on the Hunter and the Mid-North Coast (on Tuesday) and into (Wednesday), with the potential for rainfall to still persist along the coast into the end of the week and weekend.
“The significant message is that the soils are completely saturated and any rainfall that falls will run off and go straight into the creeks and rivers.”
The NSW SES received 2,000 calls in the 24 hours to 5am on Tuesday, responding to 1,400 incidents, evacuating 60 people and performing 24 flood rescues.
“I don’t know how many times I need to say this,” Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said.
“Do not drive through flood waters.”
For more news stories:
- Evacuations, flood rescues as widespread rain continues throughout Hunter
- Relief for borrowers as RBA hands down second rate cut
- Driver dies following crash in Newcastle
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