Seven missing after cars washed away: [3 All-round Metro Edition]
Sarah Elks, John Stapleton. Weekend Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 June 2007: 6.
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"We are standing by for the first abatement in weather conditions for rescuers to move in and try and locate the persons who may have been with this vehicle," Superintendent [Max Mitchell] said. "It's a very frustrating situation but at the moment the weather conditions are absolutely treacherous, the rainfall is torrential."
Bystanders watched as the couple tried to cross the swiftly rising floodwaters and were swept away at Wallaroo Creek. The creek had risen over its banks in a matter of hours. Tara Skinner, 34, said it looked like the couple, who were driving a maroon Landcruiser, had almost crossed the bridge when they were "washed over like a piece of paper".
"It was such a big vehicle, but it took nothing to wash it away," Mrs Skinner said. "It tipped sideways and then disappeared."
TORRENTIAL rain was last night hampering the search for five people missing after a road collapsed on the NSW central coast, plunging their car into a raging torrent of water.
The car was found empty about 100m from where part of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed at Somersby, near Gosford, north of Sydney, at about 4pm.
Two adults and three children were in the car. There were reports a bystander went to their aid and is also missing but this could not be confirmed.
A police helicopter, State Emergency Service boat, police and SES volunteers continued to fight through rough and steep terrain to search for the missing people last night. Grave fears were held for their safety.
But local area Superintendent Max Mitchell said the search had to be suspended.
"We are standing by for the first abatement in weather conditions for rescuers to move in and try and locate the persons who may have been with this vehicle," Superintendent Mitchell said. "It's a very frustrating situation but at the moment the weather conditions are absolutely treacherous, the rainfall is torrential."
The Old Pacific Highway was closed in both directions after the collapse of a 9m section of the roadway covering both lanes.
In the NSW Hunter Valley's Clarence Town, a car is believed to have been swept from the road and an elderly couple is believed to be missing.
Bystanders watched as the couple tried to cross the swiftly rising floodwaters and were swept away at Wallaroo Creek. The creek had risen over its banks in a matter of hours. Tara Skinner, 34, said it looked like the couple, who were driving a maroon Landcruiser, had almost crossed the bridge when they were "washed over like a piece of paper".
"It was such a big vehicle, but it took nothing to wash it away," Mrs Skinner said. "It tipped sideways and then disappeared."
She said the couple had ignored a local man who strongly advised them not to make the attempt. "The water was rising all the time. There was nothing anyone could do. It was so quick."
Police said they had found the car but could not confirm a couple was missing. The search was suspended at nightfall and will continue this morning.
The central coast and Hunter regions of NSW were hardest hit by yesterday's wild weather, with the SES receiving more than 2000 calls, mostly about flash flooding and property damage from trees and branches crashing on houses.
About 60,000 homes were left without power, and rainfalls of more than 100mm were recorded yesterday on the mid-north coast, theHunter Valley and the central coast.
Storms drenched Wyong, near Gosford, with almost 200mm of rain, and flash flooding forced the evacuation of properties in theHunter and on the central coast.
Most residents had returned to their homes by nightfall but emergency services revealed that at least 200 people were being evacuated in the Newcastle area, with the possibility of more today as the storms continue.
A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said the falls in some areas could be close to breaking 30-year records.
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