Terrified residents have filmed spiders swarming their properties as floodwaters batter parts of New South Wales.
Melanie Williams filmed thousands of arachnids climbing onto her fence to escape the rising water at her Macksville home, on the NSW mid-north coast, on Saturday.
The spiders are also seen crawling up the outside garage door, reaching all the way to the top.
‘As the water was rising, the letterbox was going under further and further and I could see all these little black things on there and I thought ‘oh my God, they’re spiders,’ Ms Williams said.
Melanie Williams watched on in horror as thousands of arachnids climbed onto her fence as waters continued to rise at her Macksville home, in northern NSW, on Saturday
Another terrified resident captured the spiders latching onto a park fence, turning the green coloured railing into a moving layer of black
New South Wales has been hit by a one-in-a-one-hundred year storm over the weekend, which has forced mass evacuations from northern New South Wales and Greater Sydney suburbs (pictured, Port Macquarie rescue effort)
‘I occasionally see spiders around the place but never anything like that, it was just insane.’
Another terrified resident uploaded footage to TikTok showing the spiders latching onto a park fence, turning the green coloured railing into a moving layer of black.
New South Wales has been hit by a one-in-a-one-hundred year storm over the weekend, which has forced mass evacuations from northern New South Wales and Greater Sydney suburbs.
Sydney University’s Professor Dieter Hochuli explained spiders would be searching for higher ground across the state to escape the floodwaters.
‘What happens with the floods is all these animals that spend their lives cryptically on the ground can’t live there anymore,’ he told ABC.
‘Just like people, they’re trying to get to higher ground during a flood.’
Wildlife experts have also warned more snakes are likely to emerge from their homes as the damp and cool conditions make for the perfect hunting ground.
The warning comes as thousands of families face losing their homes as the state prepares to be battered by another two days of relentless torrential rain.
Floodwaters in Sydney’s west will continue rising on Monday as Warragamba Dam, the city’s biggest, spills enough water to fill Sydney Harbour every 24 hours for a third day in a row, causing swollen rivers to burst their banks.
Sydney University’s Professor Dieter Hochuli explained this would become a widespread phenomenon in flood-hit New South Wales
Hundreds of Penrith residents spent the night in evacuation centres or alternative accommodation after their homes came under threat from floodwater. Pictured are residents wading through a submerged Ladbury Ave in Penrith
Those rivers will hit their highest levels in 60 years on Monday morning with moderate to major flood warnings issued for the Hawkesbury, the Nepean, and the Colo, threatening homes in the suburbs of Penrith, North Richmond, Windsor, and Sackville.
The NSW mid-north coast is also bracing for more heavy rain just days after towns were cut off by floodwaters.
The wild weather is not forecast to stop until Wednesday around Sydney and on the mid-north coast, and not until Thursday on the north coast in Byron Bay and south-east Queensland.
Penrith residents were forced to evacuate on Sunday after the Nepean River rose to 10.05m on Sunday night, just below the major flood level – but higher than during the devastating 1961 floods.
The Nepean River at Menangle Bridge is at 7.28m and 7.73m at Wallacia Weir, with rises possible with forecast rainfall. Major flooding is also occurring around the Colo River in Upper Colo and Putty Road Bridge.
‘While major flooding is occurring in Sydney’s west it’s also important to be aware this is a large and widespread event,’ the weather bureau warned.
Streets and front yards of home were completely submerged by floodwater on the corner of Ladbury Ave in Penrith on Sunday
Rivers will hit their highest levels in 60 years on Monday morning with moderate to major flood warnings issued for the Hawkesbury, the Nepean (pictured), and the Colo, threatening homes in the suburbs of Penrith, North Richmond, Windsor, and Sackville
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