'Heartbreaking': Lismore residents devastated as clean up underway
The clean up will begin again today in the New South Wales Northern Rivers while the gale force winds battering Sydney show no sign of ceasing.
More residents are returning home in the state's north after a second devastating flood crisis in a month.
State emergency service issued alerts that more towns were now all clear to return to last night including Lower Macleay, South Gate, East Bellingen, Bulahdelah and in North Bellingen.
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The clean up begins in the CBD of Lismore after it was impacted by flood waters for the second time in one month. .1st April 2022 Photograph by Natalie Grono Natalie Grono
Residents in Lismore are exhausted and calling for more help as the impact of floods becomes clear.
Harper Dalton-Earls, a Lismore resident, said people are in "disbelief" over the second flood disaster in less than a month.
"The devastation is so prevalent again when we're just starting to recover from the first one it's heartbreaking to see it happen so soon," he said.
Lismore CBD yesterday after being impacted by a second flood in the same month. Natalie Grono
Mr Dalton-Earls said conversations about relocating Lismore need to be had due to the prevalence of the floods.
"I believe Lismore needs to have serious conversations about being relocated similar to what has happened in Grantham in Queensland," he said.
"This is going to reoccur in Lismore - we are the most flood prone city in Australia."
Clean up efforts underway in Lismore. Natalie Grono
Sydney
Meanwhile Sydney and the south coast of the state continue to be lashed by strong and damaging winds.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued a severe weather warning this morning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds for Sydney, Wollongong, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Eden, Moruya Heads and Bombala.
The strong winds have felled trees in Sydney. 9News
Winds are expected to reach up to 100 kilometres an hour.
The gale force winds have felled trees across the city after recent rainfall has left the ground saturated.
The BoM has warned more trees are likely to fall today as the wind escalates.
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A hazardous surf warning is in place for the NSW coast. 9News
Hazardous surf conditions are also in place up and down the NSW coast.
The South Coast is also warned of flash flooding after heavy rainfall overnight.
"Heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is forecast to develop over the parts of the South Coast and Snowy Mountains on Saturday night and continue through Sunday," the BoM said.
"Six-hourly rainfall totals between 50 to 90 mm are possible."
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Queensland
A tropical cyclone in Queensland could develop as early as this weekend.
The BoM said a tropical low could form over the coast, which may lead into a tropical cyclone next week.
If the system does form it is expected to stay well off the coast of the Sunshine State.
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