Lismore cleans up after Cyclone Debbie flood

Lismore residents have started to return to their homes today, to begin an often heartbreaking clean-up.

A man paddles a kayak down a Lismore street yesterday.

The SES is warning northern NSW residents not to enter their potentially unsafe, flood-ravaged homes and businesses as waters recede.

At Lismore, the water level has dropped by 5m after peaking within a metre of the 1974 record of 12.2m on Friday afternoon.

Deputy acting commissioner Mark Morrow said entering damaged properties in the CBD posed a safety risk.

He said it could be hours until an evacuation order was lifted. “We’re dealing with buildings that potentially could collapse,” Mr Morrow told the ABC.

Lismore’s flood crisis

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“We’re dealing with sanitary issues, we’re dealing with water issues.” People on the fringe of the flooding began cleaning up on Saturday as large parts of the town remained under water.

The rural fire service will set up a base camp in the area for 350 emergency service workers to help with the clean-up effort, Mr Morrow said. A deluge caused by ex-Cyclone Debbie caused flooding across large parts of the region.

The small indigenous community of Cabbage Tree Island was evacuated as the water rushed downstream on Saturday.

Thousands of sandbags have been used at Ballina but it is now thought residents will have to leave town.

Roads around the town could be closed due to inundation of low-lying areas, Mr Morrow said.

Lismore mayor Isaac Smith said the town was still contending with a moderate flood level and up to 60 businesses still had water in them. Those who returned to begin the clean-up spent Sunday morning piling damaged stock and ruined equipment outside.

“To be honest, it’s like a war zone,” Mr Smith said. “There is just so much debris floating around. It’s really hard to even assess how long it’s going to take to collect all of this rubbish.” Two women, aged 36 and 64, died after being caught in fast-moving waters, prompting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to again warn communities to take care.

A 45-year-old man’s body was found at a South Murwillumbah caravan park on Saturday afternoon but it was unclear whether his death was flood-related. A 46-year-old man also died at his Murwillumbah home but it is understood he had not entered the floods.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to visit northern NSW on Monday and has pledged state government help for those affected.