Forbes was lashed by storms again on the weekend, another busy one for our State Emergency Service volunteers.
Two people and a service dog were rescued after their vehicle was caught in floodwater on Gap Road, Pinnacle.
SES volunteers used a high clearance vehicle and ark angel to bring them to safety, with one person conveyed to hospital via ambulance.
Emergency services had issued a stay indoors warning for parts of the central west and Riverina ahead of Saturday evening's storm, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of the potential for heavy rainfall, destructive wind and giant hailstones.
Forbes airport recorded 26.2mm of rain Friday night, mostly between 10.30pm and midnight, and another 13.6mm with wind gusts of up to 50km an hour from about 6pm Saturday.
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But rain gauges in town recorded more: with 53mm in Jacaranda Street, 55mm in Johnson Street and 80mm for the weekend in Oxford Street.
Forbes SES unit responded to nine tasks - mostly for trees down on properties and over roads.
Lake Forbes has swollen beyond its banks in town, on the back of more than 100mm of rain recorded last weekend as well, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has confirmed it is aware of carp fish deaths in the lake.
A spokesperson for the department said the recent intense rain, followed by increasing temperatures, may have impacted water quality.
The community is encouraged to report fish deaths to the Fishers Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 536.
Forbes Shire Council has already collected several tons of carp from the lake shores.
Across the region, Parkes airport recorded 47mm in two storms, the first from 3.30pm and the second from 7pm.
Condobolin recorded 23.8mm of rain with wind gusts of up to 69km an hour; Cowra 46.2mm on Friday night and another 19.6mm on Saturday.
Since Saturday morning, the NSW SES has responded to more than 460 incidents across the state, with 298 of those in the Southern Zone after significant storms impacted the communities of Yenda near Griffith, and The Rock near Wagga Wagga, causing widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
“There has been significant damage in the Riverina after a storm brought destructive winds up to 115 kilometres per hour on Saturday afternoon,” State Duty Commander, Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said.
“NSW SES volunteers, along with our emergency service partners, have responded to the majority of incidents overnight and will begin assessing the impacts of the damage today," he said.
Assistant Commissioner Storey encouraged people to download the Hazards Near Me app to stay across the latest warnings and information relevant to their community.
“People can set up alerts on the app to get a notification when a severe weather warning, flood alert or update straight to their phones so they can prepare and respond to the impacts of severe weather as early as possible,” he said.
