NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers have attended a large sinkhole in Dover
Heights, diverting water from nearby properties in the rain overnight.
Isolated heavy rainfall and a significant amount of runoff appears to have caused the
sinkhole, which is about 10 metres wide on Ocean View Drive.
NSW SES Waverley-Woollahra Deputy Unit Commander, Senior Group Officer Anthia
Kollaras said five volunteers attended the scene about 9pm on Saturday.
“We were on scene until 1 o’clock this morning, using sandbags and a retaining wall to
divert water away from properties,” Senior Group Officer Kollaras said.
“The hole was quite big, and part of the road had washed away. There was about a
metre drop, and a lot of debris that was washing past a house, so it was important we
prevented water ingress of nearby homes.”
NSW Police also attended to close the road, and Fire and Rescue NSW crews secured
the scene.
This was one of more than 270 incidents NSW SES volunteers attended in the 24 hours
to 8am on Sunday across the state.
NSW SES State Duty Commander, Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan said most
incidents were in the southeastern region for leaking roofs, fallen trees and sandbagging
property.
“Since the start of the weather event, we’ve responded to more than 415 incidents
across the state and have had about 300 volunteers out helping their communities,”
Assistant Commissioner Hogan said.
“There is still an active severe weather warning for the Illawarra and South Coast, where
an additional 110 millimetres of rain is likely to fall today.
“Weather conditions will ease this evening with the rainfall forecast to move off the
coast.”
Assistant Commissioner Hogan said NSW SES and Water NSW continue to monitor
Warragamba Dam, any impacts of a spill have been taken into consideration with flood
warnings.
