Tasmania SES is asking the community to be prepared with potentially heavy rainfall and damaging winds forecast tonight.
“There is a significant weather system crossing the state today and tomorrow, and we are advising everyone to be prepared and stay informed of the conditions,” said Acting SES Assistant Director Operations & Resources, Cheryl Ames.
“The weather system has started crossing the state and is expected to continue over the coming days.
“We could see damaging winds and rainfall totals of 20-50mm in eastern and southeastern Tasmania.
“The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted some isolated, elevated areas may receive rainfall totals of 80-100mm. There is potential for minor flooding in areas that are prone to the impacts of heavy rainfall.
“Tasmania SES is preparing for the weather, and we encourage the community to do the same.
“With school holidays underway, we know that many Tasmanian families may be travelling or planning outdoor activities. We encourage everyone to make safe and sensible decisions and keep informed about the weather conditions when planning for the next few days.”
The State Emergency Service advises that everyone should:
· Supervise children closely.
· Check that family and neighbours are aware of warnings.
· Manage pets and livestock.
· Secure outdoor items including furniture and play equipment.
· Be prepared in case of power outages and report any outages to TasNetworks on 132 004.
· Beware of damaged trees and power lines and take care when driving.
· Listen to the ABC radio or check www.ses.tas.gov.au for further advice.
“If you have to drive during the next couple of days, please remember advice from Tasmania Police to be safe on the roads, slow down, put your headlights on, and never drive through flood water on the roads.”
Be prepared and keep up-to-date with:
· weather information and warnings available at bom.gov.au
· SES Flood Warnings available at TasALERT.com and on facebook.com/tasalert
· road closures at police.tas.gov.au/community-alerts/
· preparedness information available at ses.tas.gov.au.