Trapped in floodwater south of Gunnedah

Emergency services are pleading with motorists not to drive through floodwater and obey road closed signs.

It follows a near-miss in floodwater on the Spring Ridge to Premer road, south of Gunnedah last weekend.

Tambar Springs deputy commander Robyn Styles said one woman was lucky to be alive becoming trapped in rising floodwater.

“There’s a gully between Spring Ridge and Premer and it can get quite dangerous,” she said.

Ms Styles said the woman became stuck on a roadside guide post and it just fortunate others were there to assist.

“It was lucky other people pulled them out,” she added.

The SES volunteer was disappointed that as the floodwater started to clear, other motorists deliberately drove around road closed signs.

She said their actions not only endangered their own lives, it risked the safety of council workers who were removing flood debris in anticipation of the road reopening.

“People were ignoring the road closed signs,” Ms Styles said.

“It shows no consideration for the council workers or their own safety.”

The flash flooding also hampered rescue efforts for a medical emergency in the Spring Ridge area.

Medical and rescue personnel eventually reached the patient with the assistance of a Unimog.

Further north at Cox’s Creek, the Black Stump Way was less affected by last weekend’s rain event. The SES reported just two inches of water across the road on this occasion. But with more rain and creek inflows expected, the SES was on alert for further call-outs in the days to come.

“We’re waiting to see what happens now,” Ms Styles said.

“It’s only going to take 20-30mm and (the creeks) are going to come up real quick.

“If it’s flooded, forget it.”

In 24 hours to 9am Wednesday, Gunnedah recorded 18mm of rain, Boggabri 16mm, Tambar Springs 14mm and Mullaley 9.8mm.

The heaviest overnight rainfall in the north west region was recorded at Moree (51mm).