Bureau of Meteorology Stands Firm on Timely Warning as Flash Flood Hits Town Within Minutes

The Bureau of Meteorology has faced scrutiny regarding its flood warning system following a tragic event in Eugowra, New South Wales.

Bureau of Meteorology Issues Critical Flood Alert

On November 14, 2022, at 9:07 AM, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a major flood alert for Eugowra, a rural village in central western NSW. This warning indicated very high river levels expected in the afternoon.

Flash Flood Strikes Eugowra

Just 17 minutes later, Eugowra experienced a devastating flash flood, described by survivors as a “wall of water” or an “inland tsunami.” Tragically, two residents, 60-year-old Diane Smith and 85-year-old Ljubisa “Les” Vugec, lost their lives in the disaster.

Impact on the Community

The flash flood severely impacted the village’s infrastructure. The Mandagery Creek peaked at a height of 11.02 metres, leading to substantial damage to most of the 800 homes in the area.

Emergency Response and Rescues

The emergency response following the flood included 124 helicopter rescues. Many locals were forced to cling to trees or take refuge on rooftops as floodwaters rose rapidly.

Inquest into the Disaster

An inquest is currently examining the circumstances surrounding the fatalities of Smith and Vugec. The inquiry also investigates the adequacy of weather warnings and the emergency response leading up to the flood.

Bureau’s Defense of Warning Systems

Matthew Collopy, a senior manager at the Bureau of Meteorology, defended the agency’s flood warning, labeling it as “clear and timely.” He stated that the warning indicated creek levels “may reach” 10.5 meters, accounting for possible further rises.

Data Limitations and Future Improvements

Collopy emphasized that their flood warning was based on all available data, including rain and river gauges, satellite imagery, and weather radar. However, they later discovered that two upstream gauges had been damaged and were not transmitting data, impacting the accuracy of the warning.

Currently, the Mandagery Creek is a priority for the installation of a new telemetric gauge under a federal program aimed at improving flood warnings. This program is considered a “once in a generation” opportunity to upgrade the national warning system.

Challenges in Flood Warning Infrastructure

• Only one-third of Australia’s flood warning instruments are managed by the Bureau of Meteorology.
• There are approximately 10,000 flood warning instruments nationwide.
• State and federal approvals are necessary for the new telemetric gauge installation.

As local technicians continue to enhance the robustness of flood monitoring equipment, they face significant budget constraints in their efforts to improve resilience against extreme weather events.