Lismore flood damage revealed as water level recedes

The lasting impacts of flooding are becoming apparent to Lismore residents who were lucky enough to escape the quickly rising waters. See the pics.

A boat was left stricken on Laurel Avenue as flood water receded on Tuesday.

The rain had stopped but the reality of unprecedented flooding had only just started to kick in as Lismore residents returned to their inundated homes on Tuesday.

But despite their loss, they were grateful to safe and dry and showed more concern for those not yet to safety.

Hunter Street resident Elwyn Paddison, 80, had spent Monday night in his car parked on Uralba Street.

Elwyn Paddison, 80, surveys flood damage to his home at the intersection of Hunter Street and McKenzie Street in Lismore on Tuesday.

He said he had lived in Lismore for most of his life and had been at the corner of Hunter and McKenzie Streets for the past 25 years.

His exit was far more hasty than he had predicted after keeping an eye on rising flood water on Sunday night.

“I thought, ‘oh yeah, it will be right’,” Mr Paddison said.

“Then it came up to the first step and I thought ‘oh hello, it’s getting a bit serious now’.”

A boat was left stricken on Laurel Avenue as flood water receded on Tuesday.

He only had time to pack a few things before water was through his house.

“I just waded out up here with water up to my chest.”

He said living in his car had been “all right” and there were a lot of people worse off.

“There are still a lot of people sitting on roofs so I am going OK.”

A dog rests outside the Lismore Seventh Day Adventist Church on Tuesday.

Lismore residents Linda Kelly and her daughter Evanna Kelly came to Hunter Street to see the damage to Evanna’s homes.

Linda’s Laurel Avenue home was also submerged.

They had spent Monday night at a friend’s house in Goonellabah.

Evanna said her 98-year-old granddad had been evacuated through a window at his McKenzie Street nursing home into an army boat on Monday.

Linda, who grew up in South Lismore, said she had seen a lot of floods before but had not expected her home would go under.

“Lot’s of cleaning to do now,” Linda said.

Efforts to rescue those who could not be reached on Monday continued early on Tuesday.