FLOOD RAVAGED… The Billabong Creek bridge on the Orange road suffered severe damage as flood waters raged over it on Monday morning. Only one lane of traffic is allowed across the bridge at the moment. (Photo: NSW RFS- Parkes HQ Brigade)

A shock wave rippled through the community of Parkes on Monday as the extent of the worst flood to ever hit the town unfolded.

Torrential rain across the Central West on Sunday with 106mm measured at the Parkes airport created conditions for a ‘freak flood’ which inundated hundreds of homes. Residents on both sides of Billabong Creek and further away towards Kelly Road woke up around 4:30am with water running through their homes.

All the main roads into Parkes were closed on Monday and the town was cut in two as the Billabong Creek bridge on the Orange road was severely damaged. Emergency services were only able to reach flood affected residents by Monday night.

With water gushing 1.7m over the Lake Endeavour spillway, and every other little creek feeding into it filled to capacity, the 4m water marker at the creek crossing on the Eugowra road was completely submerged. The water spread far over the creek banks creating flood plains in places people would never have imagined in their wildest dreams it would get flooded. A resident who had just built a new home on Emerton Road said the water came about 1.5m higher than the one in 100-year flood event level.

Many homes along Nash Street were also inundated and parts of the road was closed because of flooding.

Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith said the devastation was unbelievable. He praised the community for the kindness shown in helping each other saying it was really inspiring.

SANDBAGGED… Houses in Renfree Street were already surrounded by water last Friday morning as the flood level was rising by the minute. Residents scrambled to get their flood preparation done, and unfortunately for many the water could not be stopped from inundating their homes.

The sun was shining in a clear blue sky as the Lachlan River in Forbes peaked at 10.67m last Saturday making it the biggest flood in 70 years causing extensive damage.

Up to 1,000 people were ordered to evacuate as hundreds of homes and businesses were affected, and the town was split in two as flood waters started spreading. Residents on the northern side of town had to rely on emergency services to ferry them across the flood waters to get to the CBD and hospital.

The flood was not without its dramas and the SES assisted Forbes resident Mamata Pun Rama, who had gone into labour with her first child, to get her to the hospital in time. Mamata and partner Chitra Pun Rama welcomed a son, Imaan, at Forbes Hospital last Saturday.

The Western New South Wales Local Health District said mum, dad and the midwifery team were all “over the moon” and offered their congratulations to the new parents and baby Imaan who “is blissfully unaware of the incredible circumstances surrounding his delivery.”

The SES had hundreds of call outs and some of the rescues included household pets and other animals. There were even more than 1,000 sheep that had to be airlifted to safety.

The community spirit once again soared as hundreds of volunteers from businesses, organisations and individuals helped to fill thousands of sandbags in School Road that were distributed in the community. Since the clean-up started this week, community members have reached out to assist where they can with many flood affected people commenting on how heart warming the community spirit was.

The SES and other emergency services received hundreds of requests for assistance from flood rescues and evacuations, to storm damage jobs, resupplies, sandbagging and more.

Premier Dom Perrottet, Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke MP and Member for Orange Phil Donato MP visited Forbes on Friday to be briefed on the flood situation. They also met with residents and announced funding grants of up to $25,000 for farmers impacted by floods in disaster declared areas.

With the flood water starting to subside earlier this week, Forbes Shire Council reminded residents whose properties had been damaged to photograph any damage before beginning clean-up work.

Council said the tip was open and skip bins would be set up in affected neighbourhoods. 

Residents can also leave damaged household goods on the street kerb for the Council to pick them up.

A warning has also been issued by Western New South Wales Local Health District for residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes. (See more on this page)

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au.