Flash floods cut off NSW mid-north coast homes

Damaging flash floods have cut off rural NSW folks from their neighbours and dangerous winds have torn the roof off a building.

More than 1600 people have been trapped in their homes after roads on the NSW mid-north coast were ruined by heavy rains.

Foul weather has plagued the state since the year began, with dangerous winds ripping the roof off a building in the west and flash floods causing some coastal communities to become cut off from their surroundings.

“We’ve predicted some of these communities will be isolated for weeks,” NSW State Emergency Service spokeswoman Ilana Pender-Rose said.

Others affected by the same flash floods might not be able to leave their properties for several days.

“It depends on how close to rivers these communities are,” Ms Pender-Rose said.

The flash floods damaged roads and bridges around the communities of Wingham, Harrington, Camden Haven and Taree.

The town of Wauchope west of Port Macquarie was also badly hit by rain.

Roads in Wingham, NSW were flooded. Picture by NSW SES.

SES workers were called out to do two flood rescues there over the weekend. Other agency officials have been setting up sand bagging stations and “gathering flood intelligence”, according to the SES.

Areas of western NSW were also lashed by rain and dangerous winds on Saturday.

“Broken Hill and Parkes copped the brunt of that storm,” Ms Pender-Rose said.

In Parkes, a town an hour’s drive west of Orange, a motel and a Woolworths store were flooded. Part of the roof of an aged care facility collapsed and the roof of another building blew off.

SES workers were sent out on flood rescue operations in Parkes, as well as in Tibooburra, a town near the borders of South Australia and Queensland.

NSW emergency workers have received hundreds of calls for help since New Year’s Eve. Picture by NSW SES.

Although a Bureau of Meteorology warning of an impending severe storm was called off, SES has warned NSW residents the next week will be wet and possibly dangerous.

“It’s a wet week ahead and we’re asking people to prepare themselves in case there is more bad weather,” Ms Pender-Rose said.

“The most important thing is to never travel through flood water. It can wash out the road beneath, and it can contain nasty things like chemicals, debris, dead animals and sewage.”

SES officials have received 300 calls for help since New Year’s Eve, and 45 of those came in on Saturday night.