A clean-up is under way across a Riverina town after heavy rain on Sunday night saw water levels threatening a number of properties and two motorists rescued from floodwaters.
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NSW SES crews were called in from across the region to assist with the flash flooding in Cootamundra caused by an unexpected downpour, which saw the town smashed with 93 millimetres of rain.
On Monday morning an evacuation order was issued for residents of low-lying areas surrounding Muttama Creek as crews prepared for what they thought would be a second downpour.
SES southern zone incident controller Barry Griffiths said crews had been on standby but were later stood down on Monday afternoon when water levels began to drop and the threat of a second thunderstorm dissipated.
![Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke accompanied NSW SES personnel when visiting Cootamundra residents who required assistance like sandbagging from the recent flood events on Sunday. Picture by Steph Cooke Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke accompanied NSW SES personnel when visiting Cootamundra residents who required assistance like sandbagging from the recent flood events on Sunday. Picture by Steph Cooke](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JEQDf2CFmqVGDcvEsZPwEY/a6680b31-cf0c-444b-a7e5-42a065171132.jpg/r0_0_1440_1081_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"The situation is pretty much stabilised," he said.
"Overnight we had crews on standby from around the area that were stood down at about 5.30pm on Monday afternoon."
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]The decision was made after a thunderstorm that had been over Parkes and Forbes began moving east towards Dubbo instead of south towards Cootamundra which had been the concern.
"We had crews from Sutton, Harden, Junee, Wagga and Young supporting the local crews along with the assistance of RFS NSW and Fire and Rescue NSW and Ambulance Rescue NSW," Mr Griffiths said.
"Fortunately, the rainfall that fell in Muttama Creek wasn't backed up by inflows from Jindalee Creek, so we saw less flooding than we saw on November 1 of last year."
Mr Griffiths said only one property was flooded in the event.
"The only property that had overflow flooding in this event was still vacated due to the flooding in November last year so no families or residents were affected by this year's flooding," he said.
"A number of homes did have to be evacuated and had water up to the first and second step for some of the properties around Muttama Creek but all in all the flooding was moderate.
"By midday yesterday the water had fallen about a metre and then by the afternoon it was well within its banks. There's still a bit of water moving throughout the catchment but well within its banks."
NSW SES Southern Zone crews responded to two flood rescues and 16 requests for assistance for general flood work like sandbagging in the course of the event.
Member for Cootamundra Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke was out and about in the community on Monday assessing the damage.
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