What we learned: Sunday, 3 July
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening.
Where you are, stay safe, stay dry, stay warm, cuddle up to each other. Here were today’s major developments:
- Thousands of New South Wales residents are subject to evacuation warnings and orders including parts of Sydney this evening as torrential rainfall continues to lash the state. Falls in excess of the past three major flood events - March 2021, March 2022 and April 2022 - are possible in some areas including the Hawkesbury Nepean, where the river at North Richmond is expected to reach 15 metres late this evening.
- A man has drowned after his kayak capsized in the Parramatta River this afternoon. An investigation is underway.
- Two cases of throat diphtheria have been detected in northern New South Wales in two young children. It’s the first time in a century the disease has been reported. Neither of the children, who are related, were vaccinated, and both are being treated in hospital.
- Australia will lift its border restrictions on Wednesday in a major relaxation of the nation’s vaccination requirements. From 6 July, people will be able to travel to and from Australia without declaring their vaccination status. Mask restrictions will remain in place.
- It comes as Australia passes 10,000 Covid-19 deaths. Australia recorded 30 deaths to the virus today, bringing the total toll to 10,014 since the pandemic began.
Updated
There are six evacuation centres in place in flood effected areas, with flooding escalating “very quickly” in the Hawkesbury Nepean area.
Flooding in the #Hawkesbury #Nepean Valley is escalating very quickly. Torrential rain continues to fall and #Warragamba is spilling at a rate of 500GL. Tonight we are likely to experience river rises higher than the previous 3 floods.
— Steph Cooke MP (@stephcookemp) July 3, 2022
The @NSWSES will issue many evacuation warnings and orders tonight, and if you receive one, please act immediately. If you were safe in the March 2021 flood, don’t assume you will be safe tonight.
— Steph Cooke MP (@stephcookemp) July 3, 2022
@ResilienceNSW has established 6 evacuation centres at #CanleyVale, #CastleHill, #Gymea, #Narellan, #NorthRichmond and #Richmond. Details available at: https://t.co/GdZKxMxWA1. For emergency help call 132 500, and for life-threatening emergencies call 000.
— Steph Cooke MP (@stephcookemp) July 3, 2022
