A weekend of intense wet weather across the Illawarra and South Coast has ended in tragedy, with one woman dead and a man missing in the ocean.
Fatal Incident at Macquarie Pass
The severe conditions turned deadly on Saturday afternoon. A woman died after a large tree branch fell onto the car she was driving on Macquarie Pass. The impact also left another occupant of the vehicle injured during the period of heaviest rainfall.
Search for Missing Man at Mystery Bay
In a separate incident on Sunday evening, emergency services were called to Mystery Bay Beach, approximately 12 kilometres south of Narooma, after reports a man had fallen from a cliff into the ocean around 6.40pm. He did not resurface.
A multi-agency search involving police, Marine Rescue NSW, the State Emergency Service (SES), and the Volunteer Rescue Association was launched but failed to locate the man. The search was suspended on Sunday night and was scheduled to recommence on Monday morning, January 19, according to a NSW Police spokesperson.
Record Rainfall and Widespread Damage
The incidents occurred during a weekend where significant rainfall drenched the region, leading to numerous flood rescues. Weather warnings were active across the period with substantial totals recorded from Friday to Sunday:
- Albion Park: 154.4 millimetres
- Bellambi: 131.6mm
- Kiama: 82.6mm
- High Range: 65.6mm
- Nowra: 55mm
- Jervis Bay: 40.2mm
Further south, Ulladulla recorded 42mm and Batemans Bay saw 32.3mm.
The Illawarra SES unit alone received 92 calls for storm and flood assistance over the three days, with the Wollongong team responding to 40 of those jobs. Most requests were for leaking roofs, damaged property, fallen trees, and flash flooding.
There were also two flood rescue activations in the Illawarra, both for vehicles that had entered floodwater.
Clean-Up and Community Warning
By 7.30am on Monday, all weather warnings for the Illawarra had been lifted as SES volunteers worked to complete the final jobs. The Wollongong SES unit urged the community to remain vigilant in the coming days.
"Monitor the conditions, be prepared and steer clear of floodwater while on the roads," a spokesperson advised. They also recommended residents stay informed via the free Hazards Near Me app for emergency updates in their local area.
