The NSW State Emergency Service has issued more evacuation orders for people on the New South Wales far north coast.
A Bureau of Meteorology rain radar image of the northern NSW coast. Photo: Bureau of Meteorology
For the second time in a month, residents in low-lying parts of Billinudgel were ordered to evacuate rising floodwaters.
An evacuation order was also made for low-lying parts of Mullumbimby, with residents told to evacuate by 7am.
At Tumbulgum, residents were directed to evacuate via Tweed Valley Way, while residents in surrounding areas are being told to prepare for possible evacuation.
NSW SES advised that final route access from Tumbulgum will be closed once the floodwaters register 2m on the Tumbulgum Gauge.
Last night, evacuation orders were issued for parts of north and south Lismore, and low-lying parts of Kyogle.
High rainfall recorded overnight
The Bureau of Meteorology warned the current weather event could be dangerous with rainfall exceeding 200mm in places during the night.
It warned of potentially life-threatening flash floods along the northern New South Wales coast stretching across a distance of more than 500kms. There could be isolated rainfall of up to 300mm in some regions over six hours, the weather bureau said.
Senior forecaster Rosemary Barr said Banora in the state's far north east recorded 277mm overnight, with reports of 200mm across the Tweed Shire.
Barr said on top of several flood warnings there is a severe weather warning current "covering both damaging winds across the coastal fringe and heavy rainfall across a broad area of north eastern NSW".
"We are really concerned about localised flash flooding and riverine flooding," Barr said.
Amid criticism over slow relief, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, behind in polls in an election year, has declared the floods a national emergency and designated catastrophe zones in flood-stricken towns which will receive extra recovery funds.
Road network under strain
Lismore mayor Steve Krieg is urging residents to stay calm.
While the flood level is not expected to breach the Lismore levy, only one of the town's pumps that takes water out of the CBD is working.
"The Browns Creek pump station is working but it is the only one working at this stage," Krieg said.
"At this stage our rivers are holding steady, which is a good sign. But you have to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best."
Earlier this month, the Lismore road network was hit with about $400 million worth of damage due to flooding and landslips.
Krieg said this latest event would cripple the road network even further.
"Our roads took a beating in the floods earlier this month, and they weren't in good condition to start with," he said.
Flash flooding warning
Further south, and the Coffs Harbour State Emergency Service is warning of significant flash flooding in the area.
Unit Commander Ian Horncastle said there wanowhere for the water to go in the already sodden catchment, leading to a high risk of flash flooding in and around low-lying areas.
"With the amount of rain we've had over the current weeks and months, our saturation is very high," he said.
"It's over 90 percent saturation at the moment, which will cause significant flash flooding in the area.
"It doesn't even need to take this amount of rain to flash flood because we're so saturated."
Rain closes Queensland roads
An emergency warning for Tallebudgera Valley has been cancelled cancelled, after the Gold Coast City Council issued a life-threatening flash flooding warning just before 2am.
Rainfall totals have exceeded earlier predications around the city.
The Gold Coast Seaway clocked more than 290mm in 24 hours and Coolangatta about 230mm. Canungra in the Hinterland recorded about 160mm.
About 40 roads around the city were closed due flooding, including the Pacific Motorway at Burleigh Heads.
- ABC / Reuters
