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Newcastle Herald

Simon McCarthy

Private dam overflows at Catherine Hill Bay building site as Newcastle drenched in rain

Peter Lorimer Newcastle Bureau SES New South Wales

A private dam on a development site at Catherine Hill Bay has overflowed in Saturday's heavy rain. Picture supplied.

A private dam on a development site at Catherine Hill Bay has overflowed in Saturday's heavy rain, sending about four inches of mud and silt through the backyard and studio of a home that borders the building site, according to owner Martin Teulan.

SES crews were called to help sandbag and make safe after a pump on the dam failed, causing an overflow as more than 46 millimetres of rain fell over the coastal fringes of the region on April 20

An SES spokesperson said the builder had worked to rectify the retaining wall and fix the pump and added that staff would be on site to inspect the dam.

Around 37 millimetres of rain drenched Newcastle on Saturday, April 20. Picture by Peter Lorimer

The SES were of the understanding that there had been minimal damage or disruption for residents, but Mr Teulan, who was away from his property in Sydney on Saturday night, said the overflow had gone through his yard and studio at the back of his home.

He said the silt build-up had damaged some furniture and flowed mud into his yard. He was expecting to return on Sunday morning to inspect the damage.

Meanwhile, concerns that a rising tide could cause flooding in low-lying areas around Ourimbah Creek and Chittaway Point on the Central Coast sparked an SES warning Saturday afternoon, but the services' spokesperson said that Tuggerah Lake at Long Jetty had remained below the minor flood level.

The high tide peaked around 7pm, they said, adding that Wyong crews had undertaken reconnaissance work throughout the day and kept residents abreast of the situation. With the weather expected to ease overnight, there was no immediate threat of danger.

Crews were called to a handful of minor reports of leaking rooves and small trees downed but, on the whole, the region was spared severe damage in the weekend's weather, the spokesperson said.

About 34 millimetres drenched Gosford and 20 millimetres fell over Norah Head, with showers at Scone and Cessnock, and steady rain of about 15 millimetres at Lake Macquarie, according to the Bureau of Meteorology's records.

Sunday was expected to be partly cloudy across the region, with more showers along the coast and a chance of rainfall elsewhere. The wet weather was forecast to ease into Monday.