Tag Archives: oceania

Evacuation order issued as flooding and wild weather continue in NSW

An evacuation order has been issued for residents in parts of the New South Wales local government area of Singleton.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is directing people along the Hunter River within Whittingham, Scotts Flat, Glenridding, Dunolly and Combo areas to evacuate the high danger area by 7pm.

Once floodwaters pass 11 metres on the Singleton gauge at Whittingham and Scotts Flat, roads will begin to close.

READ MORE: Warragamba Dam spill puts NSW residents on flood alert

SES in Singleton, NSW monitor river levelsA State Emergency Service member at the Dunolly Bridge Gauge this morning.

The areas affected include Whittingham, Scotts Flat, Whittingham Hall via New Freugh Hill via New England Highway and Range Road, Glenridding, Dunolly and Combo.

"Once floodwater begins inundating the area, road access water, sewerage, power, phones and internet may be lost," an SES spokesperson said.

"If you remain in the area you will be trapped and it may be too dangerous for SES to rescue you.

"Wherever possible, people should go and stay with family or friends, or make other accommodation arrangements."

If residents are unable to do this, an evacuation centre has been set up at Alroy Complex, Dorsman Drive, Singleton Heights.

Warragamba Dam spill puts NSW residents on flood alert Warragamba Dam has started to spill after it reached full capacity.

Residents in low-lying properties have been advised to lift possessions and important items above the predicted flood height.

They should take pets, essential items, warm clothes, medicines, insurance documents and valuables with them.

"Leave as early as possible to avoid restricted roads," a spokesperson said.

"Share this information with family, friends and neighbours and help others where possible."

As wet weather continues, flood warnings are in place for New South Wales and Queensland after heavy rainfall overnight.

It comes as the two states received more than a month's worth of rain in a day.

The deluge has caused Sydney's Warragamba Dam to hit capacity and begin to spill.

The dam began spilling just after 9pm last night.

The spill is expected to continue for a week or more.

Hazardous conditions

The weather has turned deadly after a man was killed in central Queensland.

The man's ute was swept away by floodwaters in Hibernia, west of Rockhampton in central Queensland.

A woman is also fighting for life in Sydney after a tree fell on a car at Glen Alpine in the city's south-west.

READ MORE: Experts warn wet weather may bring more mice amid fears of new plague

In the town of Gunnedah in north-eastern NSW, backyards were underwater.

The heavy rainfall and wild weather has caused damage to NSW roads.

A bridge collapsed in the NSW Central West as a result of the deluge.

A car was driving over the Nyrang Creek Bridge near Canowindra as it was collapsing.

The occupants were taken to hospital and were not in a serious condition.

A bridge in the NSW Central West collapsed causing a vehicle to fall in.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has urged residents to pay attention to weather and flood warnings.

"We've had over 34 flood rescues in the last 24 hours that is way too many," he said.

"Please don't drive through floodwaters, please follow the advice you've been given. That will keep you and your family safe."

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 850 calls for help overnight and performed 34 flood rescues.

Flooding has hit Gunnedah in the NSW north-east.

There are flood warnings in place for NSW inland rivers, and the Hunter, Hawkesbury Nepean Rivers.

Minor flooding is expected for the Hawkesbury Nepean River this afternoon.

It comes just months after the region was hit by devastating floods which destroyed homes and businesses.

Scone in the state's Upper Hunter region has been hit particularly hard with residents told to prepare for evacuations.

In Queensland, there are flood warnings in place for the Dawson River and Theresa Creek.

Australia's east coast has been battered by a weather system that stretches across four states as the November deluge continues.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior meteorologist Jonathan Howe said yesterday the rain had been "relentless" across Queensland and NSW.

READ MORE: Stocks and oil plunge as new COVID-19 variant fears slam global markets

Storms, Newell Highway, north of Moree. Northern Tablelands are expected to receive a months rain in one day. 10th November 2021 Photo Louise Kennerley

NSW

More "unsettled" weather is expected in NSW through the weekend as a trough moves east, the BoM said.

Showers will continue over the east and north today with the potential of a severe thunderstorm in the north-east.

Temperatures will be below average today.

Queensland

The deluge is showing no sign of slowing with severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and rain forecast across the state today.

A trough over central and southern parts of the state will move east today.

There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms on the east coast and far north.

South Australia

The state will remain mostly dry with a chance of rain near the Eyre Peninsula.

Moderate winds are expected.

Western Australia

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast over the north Kimberley.

Tasmania

It will be mostly sunny with light winds.

Northern Territory

It is forecast to be partly cloudy with a high chance of rain and thunderstorms.

Australian Capital Territory

The BoM reports it will be cloudy with a chance of showers.

Bicycle rider dies after fatal Adelaide crash

A 51-year-old man has died after a crash in the Adelaide suburb of Coromandel Valley.

Emergency services were called to Murrays Hill Road near Lyric Place at 10.30am today, after they received reports of a crash between a truck and a bicycle.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

READ MORE: Australia slams borders shut to Omicron-exposed African nations

A bicycle rider has died in the Adelaide suburb of Coromandel Valley.

The truck driver was not injured but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

The bicycle rider, a 51-year-old man from the Adelaide suburb of Findon, died at the scene.

Murrays Hill Road was closed for several hours while police investigated the scene.

The man's death is the 91st life lost on South Australian roads this year, compared to 81 at the same time last year.

Anti-vax protesters take to streets for yet another week

Large crowds have packed Melbourne's CBD in opposition to vaccination mandates, in conjunction with other protests held across the country.

The throngs of protesters covered Bourke Street and Spring Street stretching several blocks away from Parliament House.

Much of the protest is raised by the fear of mandatory vaccinations.

READ MORE: Omicron declared COVID-19 'variant of concern' by WHO

Protesters out in force in Melbourne opposing non-existent vaccine mandates.

The State Government has never expressed any interest in making vaccinations mandatory for all Victorians, although they are required to access many premises, events and retail settings.

Protests also took place in Sydney and on the Gold Coast.

A crowd of people gathered in Broadbeach in Queensland as a part of an organised freedom rally.

Senator Pauline Hanson was in attendance and addressed the crowd.

Thousands of people also gathered in Sydney's Hyde Park and marched through the streets on Saturday morning.

The protests follow similar large rallies last weekend which were held in major cities across Australia.

Five people have died of COVID-19 in Victoria in the past 24 hours, as the state recorded 1252 new COVID-19 cases.

There are 299 people in Victoria hospitalised with COVID-19.

READ MORE: Expert says 'no need to worry' about new COVID-19 variant yet

The mass of protesters waved a variety of flags.

NSW recorded 235 new cases, a slight drop from the 261 recorded yesterday.

There are 174 COVID-19 patients in hospital, 26 of those are in ICU.

Ukraine leader alleges Russia-backed coup planned for next week

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday claimed his country's intelligence service has uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup d'etat in the country set for next week that allegedly involves one of Ukraine's richest oligarchs.

Both the oligarch and the Russian government rejected the allegations.

At a news conference in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Mr Zelenskyy said he received information a coup was being planned for next Wednesday or Thursday.

READ MORE: What is Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant in South Africa

Reports that the Russians are moving military hardware some 250 kilometres from the border have raised eyebrows in Washington.

He did not give many details to back up his allegation, but pointed to a suspected role of Ukraine’s richest oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov.

The president said Ukrainian intelligence has audio recordings of an alleged meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials discussing a plan for a coup allegedly funded by Mr Akhmetov, whose fortune is estimated at $10.5 billion.

Mr Zelenskyy refused to disclose further details about the alleged coup, saying only that he doesn’t plan to flee the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations in comments to journalists in Moscow on Friday.

READ MORE: Fears mount over Russian invasion of Ukraine

Satellite imagery has shown Russian hardware - including self-propelled guns, battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles - on the move at a training ground roughly 300 kilometres from the border.

“Russia had no plans to get involved," Mr Peskov said. "Russia never does such things at all.”

Mr Akhmetov called Mr Zelenskyy's allegations "an absolute lie".

“I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the President’s motives are,” Mr Akhmetov said in a statement, relayed to the Associated Press by his spokeswoman Anna Terekhova.

Asked about the alleged coup plans, the US State Department’s top official for European and Eurasian affairs, Karen Donfried, said: “We are in touch with the Ukrainian government to discuss this further, and we’re working to obtain additional information.”

Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst and head of the Penta Center think tank, told the AP that Mr Zelenskyy targeted Mr Akhmetov after a “proper information war” was waged against the president over the last two months on TV channels the oligarch owns.

A mass protest in front of the president's office is also being planned for December 1.

The analyst pointed to great discontent among Ukrainian oligarchs, including Mr Akhmetov, over a law pushed by Mr Zelenskyy that limits their influence on politics.

Mr Fesenko called Mr Zelenskyy's reference to Mr Akhmetov in connection with the alleged coup "a pre-emptive signal" for the oligarch not to get in involved in "risky political ventures, cross the ‘red lines' and negotiate with Moscow".

In recent weeks, Ukrainian and Western officials have expressed concern that a Russian military buildup near Ukraine could signal plans by Moscow to invade its ex-Soviet neighbour. The Kremlin insists it has no such intention and has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of making the claims to cover up their own allegedly aggressive designs.

Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has full control of its borders and is ready for any escalation of the conflict with Russia. But he noted that the media are engaged in fear-mongering over the possibility of such a conflict.

He also said that the head of his office, Andriy Yermak, will soon be in contact with the Russian authorities at the request of the European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“They want contacts between our administration and the Russian administration. I think that in the near future Yermak will contact them. We are absolutely not against [this]," Mr Zelenskyy said.

Associated Press National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

Person in NT tests positive for COVID-19 after arriving from South Africa

A person has tested positive to COVID-19 in the Northern Territory after arriving from South Africa.

Genomic sequencing is underway to determine whether it is the Omicron variant, which has been classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"We don't have the genomic sequencing of that case yet but that would be undertaken in the coming days," Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said, adding the person is in Howard Springs quarantine facility and poses a "low risk" to the community.

READ MORE: Australia slams borders shut to Omicron-exposed African nations

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA - MAY 15: Passengers from flight QF112 are transported to the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility on May 15, 2021 in Darwin, Australia. The arrival from New Delhi is the first repatriation flight for Australians who have been stranded in India following the lifting of the federal government's ban on flight arrivals from India as the country continues to battle a massive COVID-19 outbreak. Passengers on the flight will do mandatory quarantine at the Howard Springs facility for 14

The case is one of two in the Territory in the past 24 hours, with the other a man in his 50s from Katharine.

He is a household contact of previous cases.

Ms Fyles said fully vaccinated residents in Katherine will move from a lockdown into a lockout, with a mask mandate in place until at least December 7.

READ MORE: What is the new COVID-19 variant in South Africa

Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles confirmed a person has tested positive to COVID-19 after arriving from South Africa

"Katherine will be lifting, as of a midday today, to a lockout as opposed to a lockdown," she said.

"Anyone who is fully vaccinated in the Katherine region is now free to go about their daily business. They will need to wear a mask and we do encourage of course you do check-in as you go out and about."

Fully vaccinated residents are free to travel to Darwin and go to other high-vaccinated areas within the territory, but they will have to fill out an application.

The unvaccinated will remain in lockdown.

Binjari, near Katherine, will remain in hard lockdown with further testing to be completed on Monday.

Ms Fyles said a 27-year-old man who absconded from Howard Springs during a "significant storm" yesterday afternoon was caught around 10pm last night.

He has tested negative to COVID-19.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the incident that took place," Ms Fyles said.

"The man absconded on day 13 of his quarantine period, so he was extremely low risk, but nonetheless that is not acceptable and police are fully investigating the matter."

New COVID-19 cases in Queensland, South Australia

Queensland has recorded one new locally acquired COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours. It is one of six active cases.

The Sunshine State has also hit a major vaccine milestone, with 70 per cent of citizens now double-dosed.

South Australia has recorded three new COVID-19 cases, which marks an increase from yesterday's two.

80 per cent of citizens are now double vaccinated.

https://twitter.com/SAHealth/status/1464418283206053897

Cases drop in Victoria and NSW

Both Victoria and New South Wales have recorded a drop in COVID-19 cases, as vaccine rates continue to climb.

Five people have died with the virus in Victoria in the past 24 hours, as the state recorded 1252 new COVID-19 cases.

The five people who died in Victoria were aged in their 50s, 70s and 80s.

The cases mark a decrease from yesterday's caseload of 1362 new virus cases and seven deaths.

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1464352966480044035

There are 308 COVID-19 patients in hospital, 46 of those are in ICU, and 90 per cent of people aged 16 and over are now double vaccinated.

NSW recorded 235 new cases, a slight drop from the 261 recorded yesterday.

There are 174 COVID-19 patients in hospital, 26 of those are in ICU.

The vaccination rate continues to climb with 92.3 per cent of residents now fully vaccinated against the virus.

READ MORE: Flood warnings after NSW and Queensland lashed by wild weather

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1464353499072774144

The ACT has recorded seven new cases, with six virus patients in hospital. Five of those are in ICU and four are on a ventilator.

The territory continues to lead the way for vaccinations. To date, 97.6 per cent of residents aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated.