RESIDENTS in Moree are beginning to clean up after last week's floods, but there are concerns the community of Mungindi may still be in danger.
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The Barwon River is rising as it continues to receive flows from the Macintyre River, while the water that effected Moree is also converging on Mungindi.
The NSW SES has issued a warning stating that major flooding is likely to develop next week, with the river expected to reach 7.20m around Wednesday, April 7 or Thursday, April 8.
The Barwon River at Mogil Mogil is likely to exceed the minor flood level of 7.50m on Tuesday morning and may reach the major flood level of 8.30m during the second week in April.
At Collarenebri, it may reach either minor (7.9m) or major (8.9m) flood level in the third week of April.
Moree Plains Shire Council mayor Katrina Humphries said their situation is being monitored very closely.
"They're going to have a big flood out there so we're watching everything," she said.
"There is a levy around Mungindi and we're hoping that Mungindi stays safe, I think we're going to get a little bit of leeway with the two peaks, I don't think they'll peak together.
"There'll be a space there that will give everyone a little bit of breathing space, but it's still going to be a serious, major flood."
The township of Moree is now in recovery mode, with the Mehi River having retreated to within its banks, after having peaked at 10.38m on Thursday morning.
Cr Humphries stated it would be a massive clean up job but the community were thus far making things substantially easier by putting in an effort for each other.
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Praise was also heaped on the Rural Fire Service who began supporting the town with extra trucks and supplies from as early Tuesday, which has served as a morale boost to locals.
Their assistance meant houses that very easily could have been inundated were protected to the point damage is barely noticeable, according to Cr Humphries.
However, she still believes the floods were among the worst she has seen in the region, and feels for the people that have lost their homes.
"This is not as big as the 2012 flood, but it's still every bit as devastating to the nine houses that are unliveable and for those families," she said.
The cause of the flood is a point of difference for the mayor, though, with large downpours in the region having posed a new challenge to residents.
"This was actually a local rainfall flood topped up by what had fallen elsewhere," she stated.
"So there was a lot of water that was not metered, it was coming across country and across land so we had to manage it differently, and we've survived it so that's all that matters.
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