A 91-year-old woman was rescued from her doorstep as rising floodwaters in Sydney’s northwest surrounded the pensioner’s home.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Iris Langley, who is deaf and wheelchair dependent, was blissfully unaware of the impending danger until emergency services personnel knocked on her door and alerted her.
A rescue boat was deployed to check on Ms Langley on Tuesday after the 91-year-old’s daughter, Vickie Tuapola, contacted authorities about her concerns for her mother’s safety.
“My daughter worries,” Ms Langley told Sunrise reporter Natalie Barr at the scene.
While Ms Langley was in good spirits about the situation, rescuers revealed that flood waters were on the verge of lapping at the pensioner’s door when they arrived.
“It’s a lot safer for us and a lot safer for Iris, so the decision was made to evacuate her now.”
After being transported by boat to a safe location, Ms Langley was reunited with her daughter who thanked authorities.
Ms Tuapola said that her mother would be staying with her until the flooding subsided.
“It was a worry this morning, we tried twice to get around [to her place],” explained Ms Tuapola.
“She’s had a bit of bad luck in the last 12 months. We lost her brother last year, her sister in April and she just lost her partner of 35 years a couple of weeks ago, so it’s a bit of a worry.”
Ms Langley is one of thousands of people who have required rescue assistance over the last few weeks as heavy rain battered Sydney, Hunter Valley and Central Coast regions in NSW.
