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Parramatta rejects ‘nine minute’ flash flood warning

Parramatta’s council has rejected a warning that its CBD precinct in western Sydney could be inundated by flash floods in “as little as nine minutes”.

NSW State Emergency Service Senior Manager for Risk Reduction and Avoidance George Jeoffreys says the risk could eventuate if a super-cell developed over the Sydney suburb.

But a City of Parramatta Council spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au: “Council does not agree that Parramatta as a whole could be impacted severely by a flash flood in as little as nine minutes.

“If exceptionally heavy rain were to fall, it is possible that at a very local (street) level individual drainage systems could be overwhelmed in this timeframe, resulting in some local flooding.

“However, even in the worst possible rainfall, it would take substantially longer for significant flood damage to occur.”

The council says the FloodSmart system, commissioned last August, will provide warning up to 12 hours before major flooding.

“Council has undertaken research in considering flooding in the Parramatta CBD and how to minimise risks to people and property,” the spokesman said.

“We are continually improving this [system].”

Earlier this month heavy rain caused rapid flooding in the city as drainage systems struggled to cope.

Mr Jeoffreys was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald saying: “If a severe super-cell develops over the [Parramatta] area, we would have nine minutes from when the rain starts falling before floodwaters hit the CBD.

“We would not have time to evacuate. It becomes a major rescue operation.”

State Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Greg Newton says worst-case scenarios are often part of plans to prepare emergency crews for all kinds of rescue operation.