The Wilsons River at Lismore was expected to peak at 12 metres overnight, as a search continues for a 55-year-old woman believed to be missing in floodwaters south of the northern NSW city.
Police say Anita Brakel, from Nowra, was reportedly trapped in her white Holden Capitva wagon about 9:50pm on Tuesday near Wyrallah Road at Monaltrie.
Officers searched the area for several hours for the aged care nurse but could not locate her.
The search for Ms Brakel and her vehicle resumed on Wednesday morning, and police released a picture of her as part of a public appeal on Wednesday night.
SES acting commissioner Daniel Austin said 55 flood rescues were conducted in the past 24 hours.
Several fresh evacuation orders were issued for towns across the NSW Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast, and people were again rescued from homes and cars.
Evacuation orders include those for low-lying areas of Lower Macleay, near Kempsey, and parts of east and north Bellingen.
Acting NSW Premier Paul Toole warned the region could face more devastation over the coming days.
"We also need to be aware that we could still see landslips occur within those communities and we could still see some high winds, and that has the real possibility of bringing trees down within those communities," he said.
Lismore flooded
On Wednesday evening NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said the Wilsons River at Lismore was heading toward a predicted flood peak of 12 metres or slightly higher.
"To put this in perspective, the prior record for the Wilsons River [before last month] was 12.17m," she said.
"If not for that peak just a month ago, this in and of itself would be a record flood for the city of Lismore and that area."
During February's flood emergency, the Wilsons River rose to 14.37m, which was more than 2m higher than the previous benchmark set in 1954.
Floodwaters spilled over the levee in Lismore this morning but the town's flood sirens and pumps reportedly malfunctioned due to previous flood damage.
Mr Austin defended Tuesday's decision to lift the initial evacuation order, and said locals were repeatedly warned of the risk of flash flooding.
"We talked yesterday afternoon about the potential for levee overtop, we talked again during the night about potential for levee overtop, emergency text messages were also issued during the night to the community and the warnings were also issued during the night," he said.
"So we have continued to provide information to those communities."
Several other towns have been inundated by flash floods, including Byron Bay's CBD and parts of Ballina.
An evacuation centre has been set up at Lismore's Southern Cross University.
Road closures
John Pearson from the Transport Management Centre said multiple roads around the region were closed due to water over roads.
These include the Pacific Highway, one of two major transport routes into the Northern Rivers.
"The Pacific Highway is closed in both directions between Wardell and Tintenbar due to flooding. Around Lismore, the major road, Bangalow road is closed in both directions between Zaidoc Street and Coleman Street.
"The Summerland way between Grafton and Casino is closed near Leeville due to water over the road," he said.
Locals isolated
Fernmount dairy farmer Gary Eichmann has been up moving his stock since 2am.
His property, near Bellingen on the north coast, sits on the banks of the Bellinger River in an area that recorded 289mm overnight.
Mr Eichmann is bracing for the moment that his house is inundated with water.
"I can't go anywhere," he said.
Stuarts Point advised to prepare for possible evacuation
The small Mid North Coast community of Stuarts Point, near Kempsey, is being closely monitored in the hopes of preventing a sewage spill triggered by groundwater flooding.
The village runs on septic systems and during March 2021 flooding, a rise in the groundwater overflowed many of those systems, triggering a public health alert and forcing some evacuations.
A number of properties at Stuarts Point are again experiencing groundwater flooding and the SES is advising residents in the town and surrounding areas to prepare for possible evacuation due to overground and potential flash flooding.
Some septic systems in Stuarts Point and surrounds may discharge into yards due to rises in the groundwater, creating a public health risk.
Kempsey Shire Council general manager Craig Milburn said they had brought in four large pumps to remove the groundwater, but the situation remained a concern.
"There are some onsite sewage management systems that are now underwater and compromised so we have opened the amenities at the Stuarts Point Holiday Park and the foreshore for residents to use."
Flood rescues
The intense rainfalls and flash flooding has seen more than 60 flood rescues in the past 24 hours, including one man hanging from a tree.
Jake Hoppy from the SES said in one rescue on Waterfall Way in Bellingen, a man "had driven a vehicle into floodwaters, attempted to exit the vehicle and got trapped."
"Emergency services found him hanging on to a tree."
Bellingen dairy farmer Gary Eichmann told the ABC he also had to help someone.
"I was in the middle of shifting my car and looked out and saw a car in the water … It was an old fellow so I had to go and rescue him."
"His car was up to the windows in water but at least we got him out."
