A Public Information Inquiry Centre has been opened to take calls from the public about the flood-affected areas in northern NSW.
Members of the public can contact the information inquiry centre on 1800 227 228.
New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally will visit Grafton today.
The Pacific Highway is cut between Grafton and Maclean.
The Pacific Highway is closed at South Grafton.
The New England Highway is closed north and south of Tenterfield, between the Queensland border and Glen Innes.
The Bruxner Highway is closed in both directions between Tenterfield and Casino, and west of Tenterfield.
The Gwydir Highway is closed in both directions between Grafton and Glen Innes.
Motorists travelling north on the New England Highway are advised to divert to the Pacific Highway by using either Waterfall Way at Bellingen or the Oxley Highway from Bendemeer, rejoining the Pacific Highway at Wauchope. The Oxley Highway detour is not suitable for B Doubles.
Some 2,000 people in the downstream villages of Ulmara and Maclean are also expected to
become isolated today.
An evacuation warning has been issued for 400 Ulmara residents, with 50 residents of an
aged care facility there already transferred to motel accommodation.
Yamba and Iluka are also expected to become isolated today.
Several caravan parks across the region have already been evacuated, as well as
33 people from the village of Tabulam.
The SES has already performed 28 flood rescues in the past 36 hours, with more than 200
volunteers working tirelessly to secure the area.
NSW State Emergency Operations Controller, Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Murdoch, has called on anyone thinking of visiting the affected areas to cancel their trip.
“The situation is being continually monitored and is changing hour by hour. Conditions are likely to worsen over coming days with further flooding expected. We are pleading with the public not to make the job harder for the emergency services in the area by putting yourself into harm’s way.
