NSW floods: Forbes mayor fears millions of crops will be destroyed as town goes under water

Major floods are expected in the NSW central western town of Forbes after hundreds of people spent an anxious night evacuated from their homes, as slow-moving floodwaters continue to rise.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects the swollen Lachlan River to peak at 10.65 metres during Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas of the town.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller says residents have been waiting for the flood for almost a week but waters are rising at ‘a snail’s pace’ and she’s concerned people are becoming complacent.

‘It’s just a wait and see game. It is awful and people start to get complacent because …. there (are) no signs of flooding and of course, that makes people think that we’re crying wolf,’ she told the Nine Network on Wednesday.

‘But our river is coming up and it will peak some time today. Every flood is different.

‘We’re not sure what that will do inside the town or what will happen with the lake system when that water starts to join up with the river water.’

Some 1800 residents were on Tuesday morning ordered to evacuate by the State Emergency Service, which was concerned the river levels would match or exceed major floods in 2016.

SES Commissioner Carlene York said 800 homes may be flooded, as she pleaded with some reluctant locals to evacuate.

‘It’s not unusual for people who have lived in that area and lived through a number of floods to say, ”it didn’t flood last time, I’ll take the risk and stay”,’ she told reporters on Tuesday.

‘But every flooding is different and water flows in different ways.’

An evacuation centre has been set up at St Andrews Presbyterian Church for those unable to get to alternative accommodation with family or friends.

Moderate flooding has already occurred upstream at Cowra, and major flooding at Nanami, where the river peaked at more than 12 metres.

Downstream from Forbes, major flooding is also expected at Cottons Weir and Jemalong from Thursday.

The Macquarie, Paroo, Macintyre, Belubula, and Snowy rivers have also flooded over recent days, after parts of the state copped a month’s worth of rain in days.