Missing man found safe as intense rainfall, flood threat shifts south

The man had failed to return home after walking near a flooded roadway at Nymboida, about 40km south of Grafton on May 21. Police said the man was "in good spirits" and was being assessed by paramedics.

Earlier on May 23, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns visited Maitland after they were unable to reach Taree because of blocked roads. Mr Albanese paid tribute to the four people who died because of floodwaters and extended financial support to communities.

Six days of Intense rainfall has left 50,000 people isolated across the mid-north coast and Hunter regions, and the storm cell is expected to move south of Sydney, risking flash flooding.

Mr Albanese and Mr Minns were thwarted in their attempt to get to Taree on May 23 because the town was cut off.

"The conditions in Taree are very tough," Mr Minns told a news conference at Maitland SES. "The town has been cut off."

Mr Albanese said he came to tell people "you are not alone".

"Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events," he said. "They are occurring more frequently and they are more intense."

The pair announced Personal Assistance Harship grants for anyone subject to an evacuation order of $180 for individuals and $900 for families.

Grants of $1 million are also on the table for each council affected by emergency orders during the disaster, also jointly funded.

Armidale, Muswellbrook and Walcha have also been added to the list for disaster support assistance, which allows residents to access emergency accommodation and essential items.

When asked if the government would introduce the home buyback scheme for areas significantly impacted by the floods, such as Taree, Mr Minns was noncommittal.

"I can't rule anything out," he said. "The recovery effort can really only be guided once the flood waters begin to recede and we can get a full measure of the damage in the community."

The body of a fourth person was discovered on May 23, police said.

A man, believed to be in his 70s, was found after his car ran off the road at Nana Glen, north-west of Coffs Harbour, police said.

On May 22, the body of a 60-year-old woman was pulled from her car while driving to Coffs Harbour.

The body of a man aged in his 30s was also discovered at Rosewood near Wauchope, while David Knowles, 63, from Moto, north east of Taree, was also found dead in his home.

A 49-year-old man who reportedly walked into floodwaters at Nymboida, about 40km south of Grafton, is still missing.

Tragic details have emerged about the 60-year-old woman, whose body was pulled from floodwaters on May 22.

The woman was told to "continue with caution" just half an hour before her four-wheel-drive was overcome in the deluge.

A police officer gave her his phone number after warning her not to enter floodwaters, but 30 minutes later, she called for help.

Travelling from Sydney to Coffs Harbour, the woman had taken a detour to avoid road closures on the Pacific Highway.

NSW Police Northern Commander David Waddell said the woman had spoken to a police officer just west of Dorrigo at about 7pm on May 21.

"They travelled in convoy. As they travelled towards Coffs Harbour, they reached some floodwaters at Coramba Road, which is near Wild Cattle Creek bridge," he told reporters in Newcastle.

"The officer stopped and told the woman he wasn't continuing - he was driving a BMW sedan - and the woman in a 4WD decided to continue," he said.

"He checked the water levels for her. She made a decision to continue on; it was only ankle deep.

"But he, driving the BMW, decided to go back."

Assistant Commissioner Waddell said the officer gave her his phone number and "told her to continue with caution and not to enter the floodwaters".

The water she later drove into "was obviously faster flowing and deeper water", he said.

It was not until the next day that rescuers were able to find her body near Brooklana on the Lower Bobo Road, west of Coffs Harbour.

"We've located a woman in her vehicle, deceased," Assistant Commissioner Waddell said.

Her family had been notified, and the death was being investigated by Coffs Harbour detectives, while the police officer involved was receiving assistance.

"Obviously, the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised and we're wrapping support services around him," he said.

"It's just a tragic circumstance."

Tributes have poured in for David Knowles, the first victim identified from the floods.

Mr Knowles had stayed at his property on North Moto Road near Taree to look after his cattle as the waters rose.

Mr Knowles's daughter said her father died a hero.

She said he had been approached by an SES evacuation crew on May 21 but directed the crew to another family further upstream.

"He didn't want to leave his farm on a good day," she said. "We all couldn't be prouder of you, Dad. We love you."

Family friend Kayla Greenhalgh, who has set up a fundraiser for the Knowles family, described him as a "legend".

"A father, an Uncle, a Brother, a Grandfather, a Son," she said. "He was sooo many things to so many people."

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, wrote on X that Mr Knowles' death was "devastating".

"The thoughts of all Australians are with his loved ones and the community at this time," he wrote.

READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters

Emergency warnings advising people to evacuate or seek shelter remain in place in many locations from Bellingen in the north to Paterson in the south.

There were 160 flood warnings active in the affected Hunter and mid north coast regions on the afternoon of May 23, 39 of those at emergency level.

More than 50,000 people are isolated due to floodwaters. Around 5700 households and businesses are without power.

A full list of warnings can be found on the SES website.

NSW SES State Duty Commander Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said while the rain will start to ease later today, the risk from flooding is far from over.

A priority for today will be commencing resupplying isolated communities, he said.

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall was issued on May 23 for the South Coast and parts of Illawarra, Southern Tablelands and Snowy Mountains.

Heavy rainfall is possible in parts of the Central Coast, including Newcastle and Gosford.

Residents in Newcastle and the Central Coast have been advised to stay indoors due to intense rainfall.

As the weather system moves south from the mid north coast, the SES is warning of the risk of flash flooding, storm-related incidents and minor flooding on the Colo, Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers.

Heavy rainfall is expected to extend further south to the Southern Tablelands and inland South Coast later on Friday. which may be affected include Bowral, Braidwood, Bega, Katoomba, Goulburn, Nerriga and Captains Flat.

Communities along the Warrego and Darling Rivers may experience minor flooding for weeks, the SES warned.

READ MORE: Heroic rescue: residents scramble their tinny to save horse from floodwater

Across the affected regions, 168 schools were closed across the state on May 23.

Since May 21 11 TAFE NSW campuses have also been closed, including Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Taree.

A total of 168 early childhood services are also shut across NSW.

Sixteen schools reopened on May 23. A full list of school closures can be found here.

The Albanese and Minns governments activated disaster recovery allowances for 16 local government areas.

This applies to Armidale, Musswellbrook, Walcha, Bellingen, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Port Stephens, Singleton and Upper Hunter.

The federal government also confirmed disaster recovery allowance payments would be available to people affected by heavy rains in the council areas of Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Dungog and MidCoast.

The financial support is available to workers who lost income, such as those who were unable to go to work or whose employer had to cease operating.

The Pacific Highway is closed in both directions between Coopernook and Purfleet, near Taree.

The Oxley Highway is closed between Thrumster and Wauchope, as well as at Rosewood, Long Flat and Mount Seaview.

Giinagay Way is closed between North Macksville and Nambucca Heads.

Waterfall Way is closed between Bellingen and Raleigh, and between Dorrigo Mountain and Thora.

Failford Road is closed between The Lakes Way and the Pacific Highway at Failford.

South of Sydney, the Illawarra Highway is closed on Macquarie Pass.

A full list of road closures can be found at Live Traffic NSW.

Trains are not running between Morisset and Newcastle Interchange on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line due to flooding on the tracks at Cockle Creek.

No trains are running on the Hunter Line due to flooding at Sandgate.

Limited replacement buses are running on both lines. However, they are unable to access some stations due to flooding.

The flooded T8 airport line is currently closed. It should reopen later today.

Hinton

Seaham

Patterson

Clarence Town

Taree

Manning Point

Croki

Rawdon Island

Fredrickton

Bowraville

Thora

Kempsey

Wingham

Gloucester

Dungog

Dungog RSL Club

Club Gloucesters

Club Taree

Manning Point Bowling Club

Wingham RSL

Bulahdelah Golf Club

Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club

Kempsey Showground

Panthers Port Macquarie

Coffs Harbour C.ex

Urunga CEX

Nambucca RSL Club

Old Bar Bowling Club

Wauchope Showground

Coopernook Hall.

Bellingen Memorial Hall

SES 132 500

Triple zero 000

Service NSW 13 77 88

BoM warnings