Update: 7.10PM
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SES Argyle local commander Robert Bell has advised that May Street and Hetherington Street bridges have been closed due to the rising water.
The deluge has sent water gushing down the Mulwaree Ponds, also causing closure of the Goulburn Golf course bridge. Patrons at the club have been asked to leave to avoid a possible evacuation later.
Mr Bell said although the river level was rising, it was not a great concern given that the rain cell appeared to be moving away from Goulburn.
The SES also reported water build-up around Goulburn airport.
Update 5.30pm:
An SES volunteer has suffered shock as a result of a lightning strike nearby while the Service was attending a call-out in Goulburn on Friday afternoon.
The volunteer was at a Cathcart Street residence, attempting to divert water away from the home when lightning struck and charged the fence near where the person was working. The force pulled her towards the wire fence.
The volunteer felt the shock but was conscious and breathing and able to walk to colleagues. An ambulance attended and paramedics assessed the volunteer.
SES Argyle local commander Robert Bell said the person is fine.
The Cathcart Street home was one of the worst affected so far. Mr Bell said water had gushed down from the slope behind. It flooded the home, bringing mud with it.
The elderly female owner had used towels to stop it inundating bedrooms but water flowed through the hall and covered most of the hard surface flooring. Crews sandbagged around several doorways and diverted water with rubber pushers through a side passage.
The RFS also attended the scene.
It was just one of 21 call-outs SES crews attended on Friday afternoon.
Goulburn Airport has received more than 33mm of rain since 1.30pm, according to the Bureau of Meteorology but other areas of the city and district have scored much more.
The SES reported that the cell was also hitting Crookwell.
Duty officer for the Service’s South Eastern zone, Matt Chifley said crews had attended 21 jobs up until about 4pm. The internal roof at Elders in Hume Street collapsed, after hail blocked the box guttering and water overflowed into the offices. There were also reports of a damaged roof at the Coles Distribution Centre in Ducks Lane.
Mr Chifley said most of the call-outs were to residences that experienced flooding through the floor and roof.
By 5pm, four teams comprising 24 personnel were on the ground. These included a team each from Collector and Crookwell, reconnaissance and incident management personnel.
Volunteers at the Service’s Goulburn unit depot in Lanigan Lane were busy filling sandbags to meet growing demand.
Goulburn unit controller Daryl Skinner said while there were earlier expectations the rain would ease, it appeared to be settling in.
“We’re preparing for a longer night – at least until midnight,” he said.
Crews were checking low lying areas around town.
The council advises that Boxers Creek Road, Rifle Range Road and the Eastgrove underpass at Blackshaw Road are closed.
Update 2.30pm:
The Eastgrove underpass at Blackshaw Road was closed just before 2pm, Goulburn Mulwaree Council advised.
The council will update the community when the road re-opens.
While there was some initial concern about other roads in the district, all have remained open in the expectation the water would run away quickly.
However Goulburn Police were called to South Goulburn where stormwater drains backed up with the downpour, causing water to pool on the road.
The intersection of Sowerby and Hume Streets was particularly affected. Police said one car broke down due to the high water and was towed from the scene. The occupants got out of the vehicle, which was towed from the scene.
Police also undertook traffic control at the intersections of Hume and Combermere Streets and Sloane and Montague Streets.
Friday 2pm:
Cars pulled over in Auburn Street as rain and hail pummeled the city on Friday afternoon.
Pedestrians took shelter and watched as hailstones up to 1cm and larger poured down.
The Bureau of Meteorology only issued a storm warning at 12.54pm to people in the Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, parts of Illawarra, Central Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains and Australian Capital Territory Forecast Districts.
It warned that the heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding and damaging winds and large hailstones over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Orange, Bathurst, Katoomba, Goulburn, Yass and Young.
The State Emergency Service advises people to move their car under cover or away from trees, secure or put away loose items around their house, yard and balcony, and keep at least eight metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
Other recommended precautions include keeping clear of creeks and storm drains; not walking, riding a bike or driving a vehicle through flood water; unplugging computers and appliances; avoiding using the phone during the storm; and staying indoors away from windows.
Goulburn has received 22mm so far this month, with the wettest on Sunday, January 6, according to Weatherzone.
Humidity has mostly brought heavy afternoon and evening storms.
Saturday is forecast to be 34 degrees and mostly sunny while 28 degrees is predicted on Sunday.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.
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