Update, 10.40pm: There is water over the Princes Highway at Unanderra, at the intersections with Nudjia Rd and Grace St. Road closures are likely.
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Rescuers earlier waded into floodwater to free a man trapped in an SUV on Hurt Parade at Unanderra.
An unoccupied car is blocking three lanes of traffic on Five Islands Road at Cringila. Motorists should avoid the area.
Update, 9.20pm:
Emergency services are being swamped with calls from across the Illawarra.
Police have been called in to manage traffic at multiple flood-affected roads where, in some cases, motorists have defied the instructions of SES crews not to proceed.
Tensions threatened to spill over at Tongarra Road at Albion Park a short time ago when motorists coming up against an SES road block grew irate. Multiple cars remain broken down at that location.
Meantime, several cars have been inundated at Five Islands Road at Cringila, with SES personnel wading out to reach a stuck motorist.
At Gerringong, emergency services have been called to a single car rollover in the southbound lanes of the Princes Highway.
Emergency services are bracing for an increasing number of calls as the night goes on.
Update, 9pm:
SES crews are attending a number of Illawarra flooding hotspots tonight as today's severe weather event kicks up a gear.
Lake Entrance Road at Warilla is underwater, as are parts of West Dapto Road.
The Illawarra Hwy is closed northbound at Tongarra Rd, with detours via Tongarra Rd and the Princes Hwy. Northcliffe Drive at Warrawong is also inundated, with multiple vehicles struggling to get through.
At 8.10pm crews were tasked to the Princes Highway at Albion Park, where two people reported stuck in flood water.
Crews have attended multiple jobs in Warrawong, including at the old McDonald's car park, where two people and two cars became stuck in flood waters.
Earlier:
Four people have been rescued from a car caught in floodwaters at Albion Park and a South Coast community has been warned to prepare to evacuate as emergency services brace for a an uptick in today's severe weather event.
High coastal tides will leave the water with nowhere to run off if heavy rainfall projections eventuate overnight.
State Emergency Services volunteers were called to Taylors Road at Albion Park about 5pm Thursday, June 6, for a rescue involving four people and two cars.
At 5.14pm residents of Sanctuary Point were warned they should prepare to evacuate due to flash flooding. The area remains, tonight, under "watch and act" status.
An elderly man with mobility issues was rescued from an inundated home at Sanctuary Point about 6pm.
Ben Deacon, SES media spokesman, described the ongoing weather event - with high tides and heavy rainfall potentially combining overnight - as "very dynamic".
"It's something we're watching very closely," he said.
"We've been informed that localised heavy rain is possible on the South Coast, parts of the Illawarra and Sydney today and we're that to intensify this evening.
"One of the complicating factors at the moment is that coastal areas are subject to some of the highest tides of the year tonight and tomorrow, and that's really a factor in places like Sanctuary Point where the tide gets added to the flood risk due to rain as well."
High tides are predicted along the South Coast on Thursday shortly after 8pm.
The Bureau of Meteorology has advised rain totals of more than 100mm over 24 hours are "likely", meantime isolated totals of more than 250mm are "possible".
As at 6pm there are unconfirmed reports of water on the road at Calderwood Rd and Marshall Mount.
According to Mr Deacon the SES had attended 14 rescues statewide since this morning, including five in Nowra before 8am. Most rescues have involved people trying to cross flood waters in their cars.
"We urge people to turn around and find an alternative route," Mr Deacon said. "There's always another way to get where you need to do.
"If the rainfall is particularly intense tonight and people can avoid driving, please do."
The Illawarra Hwy is closed northbound at Tongarra Rd due to flooding, with detours via Tongarra Rd and the Princes Hwy.
As at 7.30pm Thursday, parts of West Dapto Road are underwater.
More than 180 millimetres of rain has fallen across areas of the Shoalhaven in the last 24 hours.
Shoalhaven City Council has advised residents and visitors to Vincentia, St Georges Basin and Sanctuary Point that The Wool Road at Old Erowal Bay is closed due to a sink hole.
Crews are on site and detours are being put in place via Tomerong and Pine Forest Road. Naval College Road is also closed due to the impact of the rain events.
Significant rainfall was recorded in the 24 hours to 9am on Thursday, including: 142mm at Currarong, 84mm at Jervis Bay, 70mm at Lake Conjola, 69mm in Ulladulla and 49mm at Burrill Lake.
Some parts of the lower Shoalhaven river have copped more than 100mm since 9am Thursday.
The Shoalhaven River is at 1.47m at Nowra and 1.3m at Terara, and is predicted to reach the minor flood level (2.3m and 2.2m, respectively) overnight.
Since 9am Thursday Wollongong, Albion Park and Warilla (Little Lake) stations have recorded rainfalls of 51mm, 58mm and 46mm, respectively.
Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
