By CAITLIN POWELL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and MATT JONES
Published: | Updated:
A fourth person has died, and resupply efforts for 50,000 isolated residents
are ramping up, as heavy rain and flooding spread across Australia’s east coast.
More than 675 flood rescues have been conducted, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am Friday, the SES said.
The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the mid-north coast has shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands.
That will deliver dry conditions in the flooded areas but residents are not out of the woods yet.
‘We do still have several flood warnings current for the mid-north coast area … some of those rivers are only falling very slowly,’ Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding said on Friday.
‘There are waters still moving quite quickly through the river systems, a lot of debris around so it’s quite dangerous.’
Here’s everything you need to know as the rain bomb strikes.
Hero local rescues 30 people from the floods on his fishing boat
Taree local Jonathon Tisdell has rescued 30 people, including pensioners and young babies, from the floods in his fishing boat.
‘(I was) standing in knee deep in water in my own house, (I knew) that the SES were having issues with the amount of calls they had, not knowing exactly where houses were or how to get to them,’ Mr Tisdell told 9News.
‘I kind of just took it into my own hands to get my family out first and from there on, we kind of started picking people up along the way and got the neighbour and her cat and dog out.
‘A mate of mine jumped in the boat to come give me a hand, and we started just venturing into the island where we could get to and getting to people where I knew I could get the boat.’
Mr Tisdell’s said his parent’s home had been flooded for the first time in 40 years after record-breaking rain across the state.
New evacuation order
Residents in Cobbity near the Nepean River in Sydney’s south-west have been told to prepare to evacuate due to rising floodwaters.
The NSW SES has issued the warning to low-lying properties on Cut Hill Road, Cut Hill, and Cobbitty Road, Cobbitty.
‘You should monitor the situation and prepare to evacuate so that you can safely evacuate when instructed to do so by NSW SES,’ the notice said.
‘Wherever possible, you should prepare to stay with family or friends, or make other accommodation arrangements.’
Anthony Albanese echoes SES warnings: ‘If it’s flooded, forget it’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised the work of brave locals volunteering alongside the SES to rescue trapped residents.
He urged residents to avoid driving through floodwaters during a press conference from flood-ravaged Maitland in the NSW Hunter region on Friday.
‘[There are] people who are just giving up their own time, risking their own safety, in order to help others, and that provides a need to really emphasise that people need to follow the warnings which are placed in the various sites,’ he said.
‘Please listen to that advice and follow it because, tragically, we have seen four people lose their lives, three of which are associated with driving through floodwaters. If it’s flooded, forget it. We keep saying it.
‘You can’t tell what is underneath the water as you make these assessments and it is just not worth people taking risks at this point in time. This is a dangerous circumstance and even when the rain stops falling from the sky, sometimes the waters keep rising for a period of time.’
Native wildlife rescued from flooded habitats
Members of the non-profit wildlife organisation Aussie Ark have waded into muddy waters to rescue scores of native Australian wildlife.
The wildlife sanctuary, based near the Barrington Tops, has successfully saved roos and Tasmanian Devils so far.
‘There’s still a long road ahead as we recover from the floods, but knowing we have this amazing community behind us makes all the difference,’ it said on social media.
Trains disrupted by flooding on the tracks as Sydney Airport closes two runways
Flooding on the tracks between Bardwell Park and Bexley North have caused dozens of trains to be cancelled as two runways are closed at Sydney Airport.
Services on the Sydney Airport and South Line have been delayed for extended periods as drivers grapple with the wet weather.
Services are not running between Turrella and Revesby due to flooding as trains from Macarthur will be diverted to the T3 line.
Sydney Trains asked commuters to ‘delay travel’ at about 8am on Friday.
‘Replacement buses are being arranged, however none are available right now. Please delay your travel if possible, consider other transport or allow plenty of extra travel time,’ an update at 8.30am read.
It comes as Sydney Airport temporarily closed a runway this morning as passengers are told to check for delays.
An airport spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia ‘one runway was closed for an hour this morning but all runways are now back up and running’.
Port Macquarie Airport has been closed since midday on Wednesday due to flooding along Boundary Street.
Newcastle Airport has told passengers to check their airlines for information about whether flights have been cancelled.
Flooding near Bexley Road in Sydney’s south-west is pictured.
Flood disruptions across Sydney is pictured on Live Traffic.
A selfless dad insisted his family board the lifeboats and leave him behind before he died in the floodwaters swamping the NSW mid-north coast this week
NSW Police discovered the body of David Knowles, 63, at his property on North Moto Road near Coopernook, south of Port Macquarie, about 3pm on Wednesday.
He is the first victim of an escalating floods crisis on the NSW mid-north coast, with a second man confirmed dead and several missing amid heavy downpours of 200-300mm of rain.
Mr Knowles’ daughter Stacey Hurrell told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday her father’s best friend, Wayne Drury, had led a team of rescuers to the family property that afternoon.
But instead of taking a spot in the limited number of lifeboats, Mr Knowles asked rescuers to find and rescue his family instead.
‘He was a man with the biggest heart,’ she said.
‘He’d give you his last dollars.’
On Friday his daughters Roxy and Stacey shared a tribute to their father.
‘Dad passed as a hero yesterday, sending help away to save others,’ they said.
‘He didn’t want to leave his farm on a good day.
‘We all couldn’t be prouder of you, Dad. We love you.’
Fourth person dead
A man’s body has been found in a car in floodwaters near Coffs Harbour this morning.
A passing motorist saw the vehicle about 4.30am after it had driven off Orara Way at Nana Glen, about 30km from Coffs Harbour, NSW Police said.
Officers and SES members attended the scene and found the body of a man in his 70s, who has yet to be formally identified.
He appeared to be the only occupant.
More than 50,000 people cut off
There are still 50,000 people isolated as a result of the catastrophic flooding affecting Australians across New South Wales.
Evacuation advice warnings also apply to at least 9,000 residents, SES superintendent Dallas Byrnes told ABC News Breakfast.
‘We’ve seen some drop off in these river heights. However, we are concerned that they may re-rise again with further rainfall into the hinterland and ranges area.
‘That will top off these already-saturated catchments so we’re expecting another busy day.’
He said a total of 678 flood rescues had been performed by the SES with 177 in the 24 hours to 5am on Thursday.
‘People still are driving into floodwaters, which is really concerning, incredibly dangerous,’ he said.
Senior meteorologist Angus Hines told the ABC areas affected by flooding would see ‘much less rainfall’ from Friday.
‘In fact, no rainfall across most areas which are still experiencing significant major flooding.’
The rain has been forecast as moving south, which is expected to mean wet conditions will begin easing across northern areas of the Mid North Coast, Mr Hines said.
‘A big change finally after four days, where the weather pattern had not budged, and that’s why we saw so much rain in the same areas.
‘Yesterday, that band of rain slid southward and really stretched across a large part of NSW.’
Meteorologists are forecasting severe weather for today in the Southern Hunter, Blue Mountains, and Southern Highlands.
Heavy rain is also hitting Sydney with 35mm to 90mm predicted to fall on Friday.
Residents in Newcastle and the Central Coast are being urged to stay indoors due to heavy rainfall.
Key rainfall totals between 9am Thursday and 4am this morning:
- 179mm at Richmond Airport
- 176mm at Robertson
- 161mm at Macquarie Pass
- 150mm at Mandalong (Lake Macquarie)
- 146mm at Newcastle TAFE
- 135mm at Wattamolla
- 130mm at Wentworth Falls
Polar blast expected to strike on Monday
A polar blast originating in Antarctica is headed towards southeastern Australia, and is set to cause freezing conditions for millions of Aussies.
Weatherzone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood warned the cold front is likely to hit on Monday.
The system is expected to deliver rain, wild winds and potentially heavy snowfalls to alpine regions in Tasmania, Victoria, southern NSW and the ACT.
While those in Australia’s southeast may feel prepared having shivered through a cold front last weekend, which delivered centimetres of snow to ski resorts, Mr Sharwood warned next week’s will be more intense.
‘The coming system looks to be stronger, colder, longer-lasting and wetter with the potential for heavy precipitation in a broad arc extending roughly from Adelaide to the ACT,’ he said.
‘This is the sort of cold front that snow lovers dream about in midwinter, let alone in May.
‘The chart above shows how frigid air is expected to push northwards from well south of Tasmania early next week. The cold air should reach SE Australia on Monday along with plenty of moisture.’
Snow could fall down to 400m in Tasmania’s mountains.
‘In terms of systems of this calibre in May, the predicted set-up is reminiscent of the famous May 28-30 cold outbreak way back in the year 2000, when a metre of snow fell at the ski resorts and an NRL game at Canberra Stadium was played on a field that was white with settled snow,’ Mr Sharwood said.
‘That’s not to suggest that the system will be quite that cold, or that snow will settle across Canberra, but brief snow flurries down as low as Canberra’s elevation – around 600m – appear possible at this stage, with the snow level closer to 400m in Tasmania.’
Significant rain is forecast for large parts of Victoria and southern SA.
‘Estimating precise rainfall totals a few days out from a weather event is difficult to do with confidence, however widespread falls of at least 10mm or more are likely in the areas mentioned,’ Mr Sharwood said.
‘While this system is highly unlikely to be a drought-breaker, many locations will see their heaviest falls to date in 2025.’
Strong and potentially damaging winds are also set to affect alpine areas and exposed coastal weather stations in Victoria and Tasmania as the arctic air mass pushes northward.
Warragamba dam nears overflow as heavy rain lashes Sydney
The SES has warned Sydney’s Warragamba Dam is reaching capacity as heavy rainfall batters the state.
The dam, which is the main water supply source for the city, was at 96 per cent on Thursday and might start overflowing later this morning.
Communities downstream have been told to follow the latest emergency advice and flood warnings.
The emergency service said the Nepean Dam has already spilled, Nine reported.
Why has there been so much rain this week?
The main drivers behind this week’s heavy rainfall over eastern NSW were a near-stationary low pressure trough interacting with a stagnant pool of cold upper-level air and a relentless stream of moisture-laden winds.
However, there were a several unique characteristics about this weather event that resulted in torrential rainfall and devastating flooding:
- A broad pool of cold upper-level air has been lingering over NSW since the start of this week. This cold air aloft provided what meteorologists refer to as upper-level forcing, which deepened a low pressure trough near the surface and enhanced convection (clouds forming in rising air) over eastern NSW.
- The low pressure trough hardly moved over the space of four days, which caused heavy rain to remain focussed on the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions for a prolonged period.
- The onshore winds feeding the rain this week have extended through a deep layer of the atmosphere, which provided copious fuel for rain-bearing clouds.
- Above average sea surface temperatures in the Tasman Sea provided extra atmospheric moisture, increasing how much water was in the sky to fall as rain.
- The landscape across eastern NSW was already wet before this week’s rain arrived, which exacerbated the extent and severity of flooding.
- Source: Weatherzone
Supermarkets stripped bare as rain bomb strikes
Supermarkets that remain open have had shelves stripped bare by shoppers fearing they’re next to be cut off.
At Laurieton, south of Port Macquarie, where minor flooding is occurring along the Camden Haven River, the bread shelves were empty at Coles.
‘We are keeping a close eye on the evolving situation in NSW, and most of our stores remain open with plenty of food and supplies,’ a Coles spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Our Wingham and Kempsey stores have had to unfortunately close at this stage, and we will reopen these as soon as it is safe to do so.
‘Our teams are working hard to ensure we have extra food deliveries on their way to our stores, so our communities can be rest assured that we will continue to serve them as long as it’s safe to do so.’
‘These will remain closed until further notice,’ a spokesman said.
Woolworths is keeping all of its supermarkets open between Newcastle and Port Macquarie.
‘Deliveries of essential grocery items continue to travel to most of the impacted communities along the coast,’ the spokesman added.
‘However, customers will find reduced product availability in our Taree and Gloucester stores due to a number of road closures.
‘With a number of communities along the mid north coast remaining on flood watch, we’re continuing to closely monitor conditions and the advice of authorities to ensure the safety of our team and customers.’
Port Macquarie local David Lazarus said getting a loaf of bread at his local Bakers Delight was a challenge as the floodwaters stopped staff from coming into work.
‘I’ve noticed today that when we buy some bread at the Bakers Delight – they’ve closed because they can’t get staff,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Their staff are isolated where they live. Not only can’t you get a loaf of bread, there’s no one to serve you the loaf of bread because there’s so many businesses that actually shut their doors.
‘It’s really affecting a lot of people – all businesses in Port Macquarie.’
Photos show flooding devastation
An aerial photo shows flooding at Settlement Point Road in Port Macquarie on Thursday.
An aerial photo shows NSW Fire Rescue personnel assisting an elderly resident during flooding in Port Macquarie on Thursday.
Deadly floods ongoing as threatening rain moves south
Heavy rain which fuelled deadly and devastating flooding along Australia’s east coast is moving south, leaving behind flooded communities to deal with a massive mop-up.
A slow-moving trough which delivered intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning.
Heavy rain is hitting Sydney with 35mm to 90mm predicted on Friday.
Four people have been confirmed dead as a result of the floods in the Hunter region and mid-north coast.
Many more have been rescued after entering floodwaters.
A man aged in his 70 was found dead in his car in floodwaters near Coffs Harbour on Friday morning.
In another tragedy, a police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said.
The officer checked the water level which was ‘ankle deep’ and told the woman he was not continuing, advising her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters.
The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said.
She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday.
‘We’re just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters,’ Mr Waddell said.
‘It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there’s been some tragedies … obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised.’
A 63-year-old man’s body was earlier found on a flooded home’s verandah at Moto.
The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday.
All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner.
Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support.
Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said.
Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night.
Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said the latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events.
‘We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks,’ Dr Sedighkia said.
PM promises further disaster relief for flood victims
Financial relief for people affected by the flash-flooding has been confirmed by the Prime Minister and NSW Premier during a press conference on Friday.
Armidale, Muswellbrook and Walcha will be added to what was originally a list of 16 local government authorities receiving disaster allowance.
‘That support will be made available as soon as possible,’ Anthony Albanese said at a press conference in Maitland.
‘In addition to that, the Disaster Recovery Allowance that we have indicated in four local government areas – Kempsey, Port Macquarie, mid-coast and Dungog – that provides for up to 13 weeks’ pay for people who are employees unable to work or people who are sole traders, self-employed, too.
‘That will be made available from 2pm on this coming Monday as well.’
Services Australia will provide on-the-ground assistance as soon as possible to ensure payments can be made for those people who need it.
Albanese said disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible.
Premier Chris Minns said the state government will be offering personal hardship assistance grants ‘as soon as possible’. The money will be available for essentials. such as food, clothing, and emergency accommodation.
The grants will be $180 for an individual or $900 for a family.
‘It’s not today but that funding is on the way for communities that are subject to an evacuation order,’ Minns said.
‘I want to make clear that I know, particularly for businesses and the local economy, that it will take more than these hardship grants to get these towns back on their feet.
‘But I wanted to get the ball rolling and the clear message from myself and the prime minister is these projects and grants were essential and needed to be announced as soon as possible.’
Further details will be announced on Saturday morning, including how people can access the grants.
Video: Aussies not deterred by flooding at fast food drive-in
Hungry Aussies have not been deterred by floodwaters as they went through McDonald’s drive-through in Rutherford, in NSW’s Hunter region.
Drivers were seen patiently waiting in line for their food in the flooded carpark in footage shared to TikTok earlier this week.
‘I swear anything bad could happen and Maccas would still be open,’ one person commented on the video.
‘Ain’t no flooding gonna stop us from going to Maccas,’ a second agreed.
The NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter regions are experiencing record-breaking rainfall and subsequent flooding.
The SES is urging people to stay off flooded roads.
‘Drive slowly, plan your route carefully to avoid any flooded roads and allow extra travel time,’ it said on Friday.
‘Be aware of road hazards including mud and debris.
‘Remain vigilant as there could still be water in low-lying areas.’
The McDonald’s drive-through was flooded after record rain in the NSW Hunter region.
Police share tragic detail on fourth flood death
Officers and SES crews were called to a vehicle after it ran off Orara Way at Nana Glen, about 30km from Coffs Harbour, at about 4.30am on Friday.
They found the body of an unidentified man in his 70s inside.
‘It would appear as though he has driven into flood waters and it has swept him across the causeway,’ NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter Thurtell said at a press conference.
Police are still searching for a missing 49-year-old man in the Nymboida area who didn’t return home earlier this week.
Mr Thurtell said he had been seen crossing a flooded causeway.
‘I need to reiterate again please do not drive into flood waters, do not walk or play in flood waters,’ he said.
‘Please drive to the conditions, drive slowly. Be courteous to your fellow drivers and look out for pedestrians.
‘During these wet weather events the roads are more dangerous.’
Residents in Melville told it’s ‘too late to leave’
Residents in and around Melville in the NSW Hunter region have been told it is too late to leave and to take shelter now after floodwaters reached emergency levels.
The SES issued an emergency warning to properties on parts of Windermere Road, Anambah Road, Valley Street, Durham Street and Maitland Vale Road.
‘It is now too late to leave safely as evacuation routes are likely to be cut off. Seek shelter in a sturdy raised structure that can be safely accessed,’ an update said.
‘You may now be trapped without power, water, and other essential services and it may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you.’
Parramatta Wharf is submerged in floodwaters as major dam hits 99 per cent capacity
Paramatta Wharf has become submerged in floodwaters as Sydney’s south experiences the force of the extreme rain pounding the state.
A man was seen taking photos of the knee-high water at the wharf as the over-flowing Paramatta River rushed past.
Floodwater will still take a significant amount of time to clear and some waterways have experienced high levels including Parramatta Wharf in Sydney.
Meanwhile, drivers were seen gingerly making their way through flooded roads at Albion Park in Wollongong, after heavy rain lashed the region.
About 156mm fell at Darkes Forest, between Sydney and Wollongong.
Drivers are seen making their way though floodwaters in Albion Park, Wollongong
The Burea of Meteorology Angus Hynes told ABC News the rain band has moved out of the hardest hit areas, including the Hunter and Mid North Coast, which means clean-up efforts can begin.
But heavy rain is still impacting areas south of Sydney.
‘We will continue to see that rain move closer to the south of the state, clearing out of Sydney probably in the next hour or two,’ Mr Hynes said.
The rain band is expected to clear out of Illawarra this afternoon and move out of the entire state by tonight.
Meanwhile, dams in the metropolitan area have inched closer to full capacity.
The Nepean Dam has already spilled while the Woronora Dam is at 99 per cent. The vital Warragamba Dam, as well as Cataract Dam, have reached 97 per cent capacity.
Rescuers praised for their bravery in the face of catastrophic floods
The heartwarming moment a young girl clutches to her rescuer as she escapes floodwaters in Taree has revealed the gravity of the ‘significant’ flood event.
Rescue services have been responding to flash-flooding caused by days of intense rain for several days throughout the NSW Mid North Coast.
More than 5,720 homes and businesses have been left without power, with Port Macquarie, Taree and Kempsey experiencing prolonged outages.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the heroism of volunteers and sent his condolences to the families of the four people who have died in the floods.
‘My heart goes out to the people affected, of course, most seriously the four tragedies that we’ve seen with the loss of life, including the gentleman overnight,’ he said on 2GB radio on Friday.
‘But at the worst of times, we do always see the best of the Australian character, the heroes of the SES, who are helping out their neighbours, their local communities, and people travelling to the area to provide assistance.’
The Prime Minister also highlighted the ‘massive damage to infrastructure’ which would emerge as floodwaters recede in the weeks to come.
‘There’s been more than 1,000 incidents dealt with by the SES over 300 flood rescues… Australian Defence Force choppers have rescued more than a dozen people.’
At least 1000 insurance claims made overnight
The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the deadly flooding across NSW a ‘significant event’ as residents rush to make claims.
Council CEO Andrew Hall told ABC News Radio the weather system has already smashed records.
‘Claims are only just starting to come in, we’ve had 1,000 come in overnight,’ he said.
‘But we anticipate that as floodwaters recede and as emergency services give people the okay to return to their properties there will be many more claims coming in.’
Flood-affected residents have been urged to lodge their claims as quickly as possible so insurance companies can assess their properties.
The federal government announced on Thursday that it was activating the Australian Government disaster recovery allowance for those affected by the flooding.
From 2pm on Monday, the allowance will be available to people who live or work in the Kempsey, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Mid-Coast, and Dungog LGAs.
People who have lost income as a direct result of the flooding may also be eligible for the allowance, which offers up to 13 weeks of income support for workers and sole traders, depending on their personal circumstances.
The federal and NSW governments have also activated disaster recovery funding arrangements across 16 local government areas in the Hunter and Mid North Coast.
Flood victims’ homes at risk of snakes and vermin, SES warns
Flood victims have been urged to remain vigilant for snakes and electrical hazards when they eventually return to their flooded homes.
‘There are many risks that come with floodwaters, if your home or premise has been inundated,’ NSW SES deputy commissioner Damien Johnston said.
‘Floodwaters have contaminants. There can be vermin, snakes… so you need to assess those risks.
‘Electricity can also pose a danger as well so when you return… if you’re unsure, especially with electrical hazards, get a qualified electrician in and make sure that it is free of risk.’
The SES urged residents not to ‘drive, walk or play’ in the floodwaters.
‘We’ve seen outcomes that result from the floodwaters, so please don’t take that risk. Even a small amount of water can cause your vehicle to move or for you to be carried away,’ it said.
‘There are many risks that come with floodwaters, if your home or premise has been inundated. Floodwaters have contaminants.’
A flooded home near the NSW town of Taree is pictured.
Emergency workers are seen wading through floodwaters in Taree.
More flash-flooding on the way as drivers urged to stay off flooded roads
A series of flash-flooding warnings have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology as the SES urges drivers to stay away from flooded roads.
‘We are performing some flood rescues in the south-eastern part of the state, people getting surprised with what’s happened on the roadways as they go to work and it’s still dark,’ SES Chief Superintendent Dallas Burnes said on Friday.
‘It’s really dangerous out there. People should be really careful if they’re travelling.’
Flash flooding warnings have been issued for the South Coast and Wollongong, including Merimbula, the Illawarra and the Southern Tablelands.
Residents in this region can expect 24-hourly totals between 100mm and 180mm.
The SES has urged people to avoid driving, riding or walking through floodwaters and to keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
‘If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue,’ it said.
Bureau senior meteorologist Dean Narramore told The Sydney Morning Herald more flood warnings can be expected on Friday.
‘We’re likely to see minor to moderate flood warnings for many of our river catchments from Coffs Harbour down to around Wollongong today,’ he said.
A hazardous surf warning has also been issued for the NSW coastline.
More than 100 towns at risk of flooding
Over 100 towns and suburbs across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Hunter region, and the Mid North Coast face become submerged by flooding as NSW battles one of the worst flooding events in history.
The NSW SES issued 143 warnings as of 1pm on Thursday.
Of these emergency warnings, 34 are red-alert which means residents should move to higher ground, evacuate or shelter in place.
Earlier this morning, federal emergency management minister Kristy McBain told the Today show that further resources have been mobilised to help flood victims.
This includes Australian Defence Force staff and interstate emergency crews.
It comes as there are more than 9,000 properties remain without electricity, according to Ausgrid, Endeavour and Essential Energy.
More than 130 schools closed across NSW
As of 7am on Friday, 113 public schools have been closed across NSW as wet weather continues to cause flash-flooding.
Up to 20 independent schools have also been closed.
The SES is seen arriving at a flooded home in Port Macquarie on Thursday
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Rain bomb brings severe weather to NSW: What you need to know
