NSW weather LIVE updates: Huge rain bomb breaks 100-year-old record as floods inundate towns and residents prepare to evacuate - and more pain is coming
A relentless rain bomb is wreaking havoc across the NSW coast.
NSW State Emergency Services were called to more than 890 incidents in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.
That figure included at least 118 flood rescues. Several already-flooded towns are set to struggle through two to three days of more rain as a stubborn low pressure trough hangs near the coast.
Authorities have issued 12 emergency-level alerts across the Mid North Coast and Hunter. Parts of Taree, Wingham and Glenthorne are seeing the worst of the floods.
Follow Daily Mail Australia's live coverage.
23:22
100-year record smashed
Intense rainfall and major flooding have hit Australia's most populous state, with a major river rising to the highest level in almost 100 years.
Heavy falls are occurring around the NSW Mid North Coast and will continue on Wednesday as a coastal trough slowly tracks north.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned heavy rainfall may cause life-threatening flash flooding.
Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Kempsey, Sawtell, Dorrigo, Barrington Tops, Wingham and Yarrowitch are in line for more rain as rivers continue to rise.
Locals around the Manning River were warned to evacuate on Tuesday evening as the river surged past major flooding levels.
By Wednesday morning, the river was flooding at a level 'never seen before' at Taree, surpassing the 1929 record of six metres, the NSW State Emergency Service said.
In the past 24 hours, the SES responded to 892 incidents, including 130 flood rescues, the bulk of which were in Taree, Wingham and Glenthorne.
The rescues included several cars caught driving into flood water, and as the night progressed, many people reported rising waters flooding into their homes, with some needing to seek refuge on their roofs, the SES said.
'Unfortunately, we've had a large number of calls for help in areas that were subject to evacuation warnings and we are still assessing how best to access those locations,' state duty commander assistant commissioner Colin Malone said on Wednesday.
Six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 and 140mm are possible through the day, the SES warned.
WATCH: Latest information from the Bureau of Meteorology
23:19
Man loses houseboat to flooding
A man has lost his houseboat as wild weather continues to pound Australia's eastern coastline, with locals warned to prepare to head for higher ground.
In the NSW Hunter region, the Myall River is among the areas on floodwatch, with locals warned to be ready to move to higher ground.
For Ray, a cleaner at Bulahdelah's Plough Inn Hotel, the rising river has already caused damage.
'My houseboat went,' he told AAP.
'I was looking across the jetty (Tuesday) morning and it wasn't there.
'It's the icing on the cake, (the weather) has been on and off for the last couple of weeks.'
The SES warned Buladelah residents to evacuate some areas on Tuesday afternoon.
Rain is expected to continue into the weekend amid the multi-day flood event.
Taree copped more than 267mm of rain across Monday and Tuesday, among some of the heaviest falls from the system.
23:18
Rain to wreak havoc for days
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino on Tuesday warned the rain causing chaos across eastern NSW could stay for several days.
'Rain will continue to inundate already flooded eastern NSW for another two to three days as a stubborn low pressure trough lingers near the coast,' he said.
'In addition to the 100 to 300mm that's already fallen in the last 48 hours, parts of the Mid North Coast and Hunter could see another 100 to 250mm between Tuesday and Thursday, with heavier isolated falls.
'Rain from this system is also likely to extend further south and west between Wednesday and Friday, soaking a broader area of NSW and the ACT, and even extending over parts of eastern Victoria and Tasmania.
'A separate cold front should also deliver some rain to other areas of southern Australia from this weekend.'
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