Shire flooding: Mangroves blocking drains in some problem areas

A council spokeswoman revealed this following questions from the Leader about the deluge which followed storm cells colliding over the shire about 4am on Saturday April 6. Cronulla received 140mm.

"Certain areas in Sutherland Shire are susceptible to flooding due to various factors, including large catchment areas, flat topography, height above sea level, instances of high tide coinciding with rain events, and rainwater volume exceeding the capacity of the stormwater network," the spokeswoman said.

"In some areas, water logging is a result of mangrove growth restricting water flow further downstream of stormwater outlets.

"Council employs a proactive and reactive approach to cleaning stormwater drains, with regular inspections.

"The proactive stormwater inspection program ensures all assets are checked within a 12-month period, with assets at risk inspected every three months.

"Reactive cleaning is triggered by extreme weather events, which is prioritised based on community reports of affected areas."