A body has been found after a car was discovered in floodwaters, increasing the death toll from a widespread and dangerous inundation to four.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, was found about 30km northwest of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid-north coast on Friday after a passing motorist noticed a vehicle had run off a main road.
His identity is yet to be confirmed. He’s the fourth person to die as a result of the floods in the region since Thursday.
In the past 24 hours, the SES has responded to 1535 calls for help, including 177 floodwater rescues.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urges Australians to exercise common sense as the rain event continues, given the circumstances of the man’s death.
“These are horrific circumstances,” he told Triple M Newcastle radio.
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“That is a tragedy for them, for their families and for the local communities.”
The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns will visit flood-affected regions on Friday morning to see the disaster first-hand and thank members of the NSW State Emergency Service.
“Those people are once again showing that, at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character,” Mr Albanese said.
A slow-moving trough delivering intense rain will bring further heavy falls to parts of the NSW Hunter region, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands, extending further south throughout Friday morning.
A police officer driving a sedan was travelling with a 60-year-old woman in a 4WD when they came across water over a road near Dorrigo on Wednesday night, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell said.
The officer checked the water level, which was “ankle deep”, and told the woman he wasn’t continuing and advised her to be cautious and not enter floodwaters.
The woman phoned the officer 30 minutes later saying she was in trouble about 17km away, Mr Waddell said.
She was found dead inside the 4WD on Thursday.
“We’re just encouraging people, please do not enter these floodwaters,” Mr Waddell said.
“It is a really dangerous once-in-a-lifetime event and there’s been some tragedies … obviously the police officer who spoke to the woman is very traumatised.”
Flooding is seen in Port Macquarie, New South Wales on May 22, 2025. A slow-moving trough is dumping rain along the east coast of Australia, leaving thousands of people stranded AAP Image/Lindsay Moller
A 63-year-old man’s body was earlier found on a flooded home’s verandah at Moto.
The body of a man believed to be in his 30s was found in floodwaters west of Port Macquarie on Wednesday.
There are grave fears for another man who remains missing.
All of the deaths will be reviewed by the coroner.
Heavy falls potentially totalling 150mm in 24 hours could bring flash flooding at Goulburn and south to Bega, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
Disaster assistance from the state and commonwealth governments has been expanded, with 19 areas now eligible for support.
The allowance will be available from Monday.
Specialist disaster lawyers would provide free advice about rejected insurance claims, housing issues and assistance grants, Legal Aid NSW said.
Additional emergency services personnel were travelling from Victoria to assist on Thursday night.
The latest floods should prompt a rethink in disaster management to mitigate future events, Australian National University flood researcher Mahdi Sedighkia said.
“We are clearly witnessing a marked increase in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, highlighting the urgent need to reassess how we understand and manage flood risks,” Sedighkia said.
