SES volunteers Richard Jackson-Hope and William Dalziel remove a tree from an Upper Mountains home after last week's rain. Photo: Nicole Bordes.
The clean-up of storm-damaged Blue Mountains homes has entered a second week following 210mm of rain on the weekend.
Just as the Blue Mountains State Emergency Service (SES) was getting close to finishing jobs in response to more than 100 calls from residents on February 24, further downpours struck last Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
One rain gauge in Wentworth Falls recorded 90mm of rain falling within 30 minutes on Thursday, while 50mm fell in the Upper Mountains on the weekend.
Blue Mountains SES received 33 calls for assistance between last Friday and Sunday night. The majority of calls were for leaking roofs and fallen trees in the Upper Mountains, where the rain and winds had greatest impact.
Easterly winds peaked at almost 50km/h on Friday and Saturday evenings, causing trees to fall onto properties and across roads, including one large tree on part of the highway near Bodington Hill.
SES volunteers were on standby on the weekend as the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system experienced minor flooding, closing Springwood Road at Yarramundi on Friday night.
During the wild weather Blue Mountains police and officers from police rescue and PolAir rescued a number of people stranded after a downpour inside the national park on Monday, February 25.
Water levels rose two metres in a short time about 2.40pm at creek crossings at the popular Valley of the Waters bushwalking tracks at Wentworth Falls.
PolAir conducted a search and located 20 people stranded by rapid-flowing waters near Empress Falls on the National Pass walking track.
Police rescue entered the area and found nine people who were able to make their own way out.
Another nine people, located near the base of the falls, required rescue teams to rig safety lines and use swift-water rescue techniques to escort them to safety.
Police have urged any outdoor enthusiasts to delay activities in this part of the national park until the National Parks confirms conditions are safe.
The SES has also reminded residents if they require emergency assistance during storms to contact the SES on 132 500. Residents should only dial 000 for life threatening emergencies.
According to Weatherzone this summer began warm and dry but its final 33 days saw regular bursts of very heavy rainfall — enough to give Sydney and the Blue Mountains’ their wettest recorded February in five years.
In Katoomba, 294.8mm of rain fell in February — 120.7mm more than average.
After two landslides in two years near Bullaburra train station, a RailCorp spokesperson said RailCorp conducted regular inspections of areas known to be prone to land slides, particularly during heavy rainfall.
RailCorp conducted regular inspections of areas known to be prone to land slides, particularly during heavy rainfall.
"In addition, land movement along side rail corridors is monitored through slip detectors installed at key locations.
"RailCorp carries out ongoing maintenance upgrades across the rail network including removal of loose soils and land formations, installation of drainage and where necessary erecting retaining walls where necessary to protect the rail infrastructure," she said.