Tasmania’s North and North-West are set to be saturated with between 20mm to 80mm of rain on Saturday says Mhairi Bradley, Northern regional manager of the State Emergency Service.
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High winds and rain is predicted from Smithton in the far North-West, all the way across the North coast, central North and through Launceston, Lilydale and parts of the Break O’Day area.
“We’ve got some very intense rain bands coming over the state on Saturday and are impacting on the coastal areas of Tasmania,” Ms Bradley said.
“We may see some flash flooding, certainly we will see some rises in the rivers and we’ll certainly always say never to drive through flooded rivers.
“[But] things can change so people should make sure to stay in tune with the Bureau of Meteorology and their weather warnings.”
Her advice was to drive to the conditions and stay inside if possible.
“It’s the first good rain of the season and people do tend to slip off the roads in those conditions and we really want to be mindful of people’s safety,” Ms Bradley said.
“We’ve got some very strong winds coming as well, up to 80km/h in an Easterly direction.”
RACT Insurance chief executive Trent Sayers said motorists should remain vigilant at all times and avoid driving through flood or storm water.
He said RACT Insurance was expecting a spike in claims due to the hazardous conditions.
“With the significant rainfall forecast for the north of the state, comes an increased risk when driving,” he said.
“In particular, at no point should any motorist attempt to drive through flooded areas, especially if the water is moving.
“We have ensured our local claims staff and services are positioned and ready to respond if required.”
SES advises people in affected areas to:
- Drive to the conditions - Do not drive, walk or ride through flood waters
- People within these catchments should be mindful of rising river levels
- Ensure drains and gutters are clear of debris and are running freely
- Beware of damaged trees and power lines, trees & limbs may fall in these conditions
- Check that family and neighbours are aware of warnings
- Manage pets and livestock
- Be prepared in case of power outages
- Disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility
Visit www.bom.gov.au/tas/warnings/ to stay up-to-date with weather warnings.
For flood and storm emergency assistance, contact the SES on 132 500.