Lismore country music identity Marge Graham found dead in home, NSW floods death toll rises to four

Lismore country singer Marge Graham has been identified as one of the victims of the NSW floods emergency, as a fourth person was confirmed dead on Wednesday afternoon.

The 82-year-old was a country recording artist and community radio presenter who founded The Cedar Guitar Country Music Festival, which runs in Lismore each year.

Marge Graham, from Lismore, died in the NSW floods. Credit: Facebook

Ms Graham was found dead inside her South Lismore home on Tuesday, police said.

Life-long friend Terry Gordon, also a country musician, said everyone in the Lismore music scene knew Ms Graham.

“She was the main leader of country music of that area,” he said.

“She was loved by everyone.”

Friends and family members took to social media and posted to various community groups in a desperate attempt to get assistance for Ms Graham, but she was unable to be saved.

As tributes flowed for Ms Graham, NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole told reporters on Wednesday a third death had been confirmed. The body of a man was recovered in Lismore CBD around 10.55am after reports a man was seen floating in floodwaters.

Shortly after 2pm, a fourth body was found during rescue and recovery operations in Lismore. SES volunteers found the body of a man, believed to be in his 70s, inside a flooded unit on Cromer Street, South Lismore.

Apart from Ms Graham, police are yet to formally identify the other victims in NSW. Nine people have also died in Queensland, bringing the total to 13.

Ballina evacuated

On Wednesday morning, the entire town of Ballina was told to “leave now” as the flood emergency continues to move south.

Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader said conditions were set to worsen and warned residents not to become complacent. She said she was grateful the call was made to evacuate the entire town early, with the order going out at 12.15am on Wednesday.

Among those evacuated were 55 patients from Ballina Hospital who were moved to Xavier Catholic College. A makeshift emergency department was set up at the college on Tuesday night.

“It wasn’t the night for beauty sleep I can assure you,” she said on Nine’s Today show on Wednesday morning.

“I was fielding many calls from worried residents in this precinct. It was a very anxious night.”

Ms Cadwallader said despite the final people being evacuated from Cherry Street Bowling Club at 3am, now was not the time to relax.

“Water is unpredictable. You really don’t know what it’s going to do today, so it is an evolving situation. We’re monitoring it very closely,” she said.

“We can’t rest on our laurels or become complacent about this. We don’t want people to think this is just a normal event. It is far from a normal event.”

Meanwhile, some northern NSW residents have been advised to boil their water and restrict other water use as local infrastructure struggles in the flood.

Local councils urged people in Casino, Uki and South Murwillumbah/Dunbible to boil their water before use.

Most affected councils are also advising residents to restrict their water use when possible.

“Residents are asked to please minimise their water use, through kitchen taps, showers, washing and toilet flushing.

The current high rainfall and tidal impacts are putting extreme pressure on our pump stations and wastewater network,” a message on Ballina Shire Council’s website reads.

“If you hear your toilet gurgling, it is expected during the extreme weather we are currently experiencing.”

The torrential rain experienced in Northern NSW is expected to hit Sydney on Wednesday, with 200 millimetres predicted within a six-hour period.

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