Boys not missing in Coonamble flood

Two young boys who were feared to have been swept away by floodwaters in northern
NSW have been found safe and well at home, the State Emergency Service (SES) says.
The pair, aged seven and nine, had been part of a larger group swimming near the
northern side of the bridge crossing the Castlereagh River at Coonamble at about
5.15pm (AEDT) on Monday, police said.
The three other children were found safe and well a short time later, a police
spokeswoman said.
"Following further inquiries by the police, they have located the children safe and
well at their homes," SES spokesman Phil Campbell told AAP from Coonamble shortly
before 7.30pm.
SES volunteers, police, ambulance officers and Rural Fire Service officers had
searched for the pair using two helicopters and several boats, he said.
Residents of the already-isolated township are again facing rising floodwaters.
Hundreds of people from the eastern side of the township evacuated their homes on
Sunday night and more people may be displaced as the Castlereagh River continues to
swell.
Expectations the waterway would reach its peak just after midday (AEDT) on Monday
were revised, with the river now expected to hit its high point by 9pm.
"At 2.15pm (AEDT) the Castlereagh River at Coonamble was 5.17m, which is a slight
rise since noon," the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said in a statement.
"Local SES reports indicate that at 2.30pm (AEDT) the Castlereagh flood peak was at
Combara Bridge, which is approximately three hours upstream of Coonamble, so the
final peak should arrive at Coonamble between 6 and 9pm."
That peak is forecast at 5.3 metres, edging Coonamble's ageing levee.
"It's only a minor rise compared to what we've already seen but it certainly puts a
stop to a lot of things that we had hoped to do tonight, such as let people return
to their homes," SES spokesman Steve Delaney told AAP.
Concerns the township's levee would rupture under the increasing water pressure have
prompted constant monitoring by engineers.
"An engineer took a look at the levee this afternoon and said there are no serious
concerns about the integrity of the levee up to 5.3m," Mr Delaney said.
Anything above that level is expected to challenge the levee.
In anticipation of the peak, residents in the affected area, east of Coonamble, have
again been issued an evacuation order.
"If we get that peak tonight, and we are happy that it is the peak that has gone
through and there is nothing more behind it, we may be able to allow them
(residents) back in," Mr Delaney said.
However, forecast severe thunderstorms for parts of NSW including Coonamble, late on
Monday, pose another obstacle to plans for residents to return home.
The BOM has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms producing damaging winds, very
heavy rainfall and flash flooding at Glen Innes, Inverell, Gunnedah, Narrabri,
Coonabarabran and Coonamble.
Additional flood warnings remain in place for the MacIntyre, Peel, Namoi, Bogan,
Culgoa, Bokhara, Narran, Warrego, Paroo and Barwon-Darling rivers.
"Flood warnings will remain on these rivers for weeks to come," Mr Delaney said.
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally on Monday visited Coonamble, where she announced the
flood-affected township and other regions would be formally recognised as natural
disaster areas.
The local government areas of Bourke, Coonamble, Tamworth, Warrumbungle and Warren
are now all disaster-declared, meaning residents, primary producers and councils are
eligible for financial assistance.