UPDATE: 4.30pm Wednesday
This will be our last blog update for today. Stay tuned to Cessnock City Council's page for road closures, the Bureau of Meteorology for weather warnings and the State Emergency Service for emergency information.
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Wilderness Road, Rothbury has been added to the list of local road closures on on Wednesday afternoon, while Sawyers Gully Road is among the roads that have reopened.
Gillards Road and De Beyers Road, Pokolbin and Mount View Road, Mount View have also reopened. See the full list of road closures at cessnock.nsw.gov.au/News/Closures.
More rain is expected in Cessnock throughout the evening. Residents are reminded never to drive through floodwater, and to be aware of driving hazards such as mud, debris, damaged roads, fallen trees and branches.
Wet conditions are significantly impacting local roads, and motorists are urged to take care. About 15 vehicles were damaged by a large pothole on Buchanan Road on Tuesday evening, with a local mechanic praised for stopping to help the drivers.
The Wollombi Brook at Wollombi peaked at 14.2 metres at 1am Wednesday, and by 2pm Wednesday was at 12.94 metres and falling slowly, with major flooding occurring in the district.
The township of Broke was ordered to evacuate, with about 100 residents being transferred to the evacuation centre that is operating out of Cessnock Leagues Club.
Elsewhere in the Hunter:
- Gillieston Heights is isolated and the New England Highway is among multiple roads that have been closed around Maitland today, as the Hunter River continues to rise;
- A warning has been issued to Singleton, where Ausgrid may switch off the power if conditions worsen.
EARLIER REPORT: 12.30pm Wednesday
Several road closures remain in place around the Cessnock local government area on Wednesday as rain continues to fall on the city.
The full length of Sawyers Gully Road has been closed due to poor road conditions, with Cessnock City Council maintenance teams currently in attendance.
A council spokepserson said the city's road infrastructure has been significantly impacted by this week's flooding event.
"With many roads across the local government area still underwater, cutting off some communities, council is not yet able to assess the full extent of the damage," the spokesperson said.
"Our crews have been out in force and working through the night as they continue to assess and respond to this flood event.
"We ask that residents keep in mind that the roads that are closed cover a large area, and teams are doing their best to make their way around to reopen roads as quickly as possible. Roads need to be assessed for damage, and we need to ensure they're safe before reopening.
"This event comes just four months after the March flood. We appreciate the community's patience at this time.
"Residents are reminded never to drive through floodwater. Be aware of driving hazards such as mud, debris, damaged roads, fallen trees and branches, and avoid any unnecessary travel."
READ MORE: Cessnock's July rainfall record broken
The following roads remain closed as of 11am Wednesday:
- Tuckers Lane, Rothbury
- Old North Road, Rothbury
- Richmond Vale Road, Richmond Vale
- Congewai Road, Congewai (at Burgess Bridge)
- Thursby's Road, Congewai (at Thursby's Bridge)
- Payne's Crossing road, Wollombi (at Williams Bridge)
- Lomas Lane, Nulkaba (at bridge)
- Wills Hills Road, Pokolbin
- Great North Road, Laguna, near Blaxlands Arm Road
- Yango Creek Road, Wollombi & Laguna
- Milsons Arm Road, closed at Great North Road
- Watagan Creek Road, closed at Great North Road
- Upper Yango Creek Road Laguna
- Congewai Road, Congewai (closed at Millfield Road)
- Wollombi Road, Wollombi, at Narone Creek Bridge
- Cessnock Road at Testers Hollow
- Broke Road, Pokolbin
- Ekerts Road, Pokolbin
- Gillards Road, Pokolbin
- De Beyers Road Pokolbin at Col Turnbull Parade
- Cedar Creek Road, Cedar Creek
- Wollombi Road, Millfield
- O'Connor's Road, Nulkaba
- Mount View Road, Mount View
- Metcalf Lane, Sawyers Gully
- Government Road, Cessnock
- Alexandra Street, Kurri Kurri, near Railway Parade intersection
- George Downes Drive, Bucketty
- Sawyers Gully Road, Sawyers Gully
The following roads have reopened:
- Alkira Avenue, Cessnock
- Pangari Parade, Cessnock
- Alipine Avenue, Cessnock
- Robinia Way, Cessnock
- Hermitage Road, Pokolbin
- George Booth Drive, Buchanan
- Neath Road, Neath and Kearsley
- Quorrobolong Road, Cessnock
- Lovedale Road, Lovedale
- Abernethy Road, Abernethy
- Sanctuary Road, Ellalong/Paxton
- Sandy Creek Road between Quorrobolong Road and Ellalong
- Millfield Road, Millfield
- Kline Street Bridge, Weston
- Fourth Street, Weston, at the bridge
A number of houses across the LGA, including some in South Cessnock and Weston, were reportedly impacted by flooding on Tuesday.
Many properties in Wollombi - including the town's iconic tavern - have also been inundated.
An evacuation order was issued to Wollombi and surrounding villages on Tuesday evening, and the flood level peaked at 14.2 metres around 1am Wednesday (1.1 metres higher than the 2007 level).
Elsewhere in the Hunter:
- The entire township of Broke has been ordered to leave, and will be transferred to the evacuation centre at Cessnock Leagues Club, with Singleton also predicted to flood on Wednesday.
- Gillieston Heights has become an 'island' again, as it did after the April 2015 super storm, with Cessnock Road cut at the Cliftleigh and Maitland ends.
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