Communities on the New South Wales north coast are being told to evacuate this morning as the threat from the state's deadly flood crisis moves south from the stricken city of Lismore.
There have been two flood-related deaths in NSW one near Murwillumbah — which was one of the worst-hit towns — and another in the Hunter region.
The Pacific Highway, the major road link between Queensland and NSW, has been cut off by water at Chinderah.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) issued evacuation orders in Billinudgel, Ocean Shores, New Brighton and Cabbage Tree Island — an Aboriginal community.
The Bureau of Meteorology said floodwaters travelling from Lismore are expected to peak at Woodburn this afternoon.
SES acting deputy commissioner Mark Morrow said flooding was yet to peak in several areas.
"Those risks are coming and they will come in the next 24 hours. The best advice I can give is — make the decision now," he said.
"Consider your circumstances where you live and the risk to you and make it easy on yourself pack up the goods that you need to, move away for a few days and come back once the flooding has moved through."
Extra resources are arriving in the area as the SES, which has about 600 outstanding jobs, tries to get to residents in the flood-ravaged region.
There is a major flood warning for the Wilsons and Richmond Rivers but the threat to the Tweed River has been downgraded.
Between 500 and 740 millimetres of rain was recorded in NSW's Tweed River valley in the 24 hours to 2:00am yesterday, after which it began to ease.
Residents in Lismore said the water had receded by up to a metre in some parts of the city.
As the focus in turned to cleaning up, some people who remained in their homes have started to come out and assess damage.
However, authorities said it could be up to two days until the residents who fled their homes are able to return.
Yesterday, 20,000 people in northern NSW were ordered to evacuate, while power was cut to 10,000 properties.
Two people dead
A woman was reported missing at Burringbar, south of Murwillumbah in NSW, overnight on Thursday and police said a body was found on a flood-affected property about 8:00am on Friday.
The body of a second woman was found in a river in the Hunter Valley yesterday morning after her car was swept off a flooded bridge on Thursday night.
Police divers found the body of the 64-year-old woman trapped in her car in a river outside the town of Gungal, about 600 kilometres south of where the main flood problem areas are.
The woman's 74-year-old husband, who was also in the car, managed to escape.
Sue Pritchard, from the NSW SES, warned residents in affected areas to stay away from the flood waters.
"The SES is urging people not to drive through floodwaters, not be tempted to go sight-see in these areas or to let their children play in those floodwaters," she said.
"So just stay safe and stay clear of these areas and let the emergency services get on with the good work that they're doing."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will visit the area on Monday.