THE cyclonic storm that has paralysed parts of the Hunter is now responsible for up to seven deaths, including a woman whose car was swept off an arterial road in front of shocked onlookers.
As insurance companies began to count the cost of the east coast low in dollar figures and emergency crews attempted to work on the backlog of houses without proper shelter and power, the human toll of the deadly storm was hitting home on Wednesday night.
While loved ones were mourning the loss of Dungog residents Robin MacDonald, Col Webb and Brian Wilson after they died in floodwaters, Fire & Rescue NSW Superintendent Greg Rankin likened their devastated town to a ‘‘war zone’’.
At Maitland, emergency crews spent the day searching floodwaters for the car as relatives watched on and hoped for a miracle.
But 10 hours after the car was swept off Cessnock Road, police divers found the body of the 86-year-old Gillieston Heights woman.
Earlier in the afternoon, emergency workers were at the scene of a horrific head-on crash on the New England Highway where two drivers were killed and two passengers were seriously injured about 3.20pm.
The crash occurred between Singleton and Muswellbrook and blocked the highway.
Two passengers in one of the vehicles were assisted by emergency services at the scene before being flown to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition.
The death of an 87-year-old pedestrian at East Gosford on Tuesday night during the height of deluge has also been blamed on the weather conditions.
Three people were killed at Dungog on Tuesday when floods smashed the town. Premier Mike Baird, who is due to visit the storm-ravaged Hunter on Thursday, confirmed that a natural disaster zone would be declared for Cessnock, Dungog, Gosford, Great Lakes, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton and Wyong. He thanked emergency services workers and was heartened to hear how ‘‘the community has responded looking after each other’’.
‘‘I’ve heard many stories of people offering accommodation, picking people up, looking out for others, along with all our emergency workers and our transport workers and police,’’ he said.
‘‘Everyone is doing everything possible, but again – a good reminder of why we’re lucky to have our services and why we’re so proud of this state.’’
SES Deputy Commissioner Steven Pearce said the conditions in the Hunter were like nothing the SES had seen.
‘‘This is one of the most challenging situations that we have been involved in,’’ he said.
The State Emergency Service had received more than 3500 calls for help across the Hunter in two days since the front hit on Monday night.
More than 250 reinforcements arrived on Wednesday to continue the clean-up around the clock.
‘‘The calls are still coming in, and they are coming in quickly,’’ SES spokeswoman Amanda Hyde said.
Emergency services have conducted more than 100 flood rescues, including several families plucked from roofs.
Power providers were also asking for patience, warning that some residents may not have power back on for several days after more than 130,000 Hunter customers remained with no connection on Wednesday.
Buses were still replacing trains between Wyong and Hamilton. The Hunter line between Hamilton and Dungog and Hamilton to Scone will remain closed due to significant damage to the track.
The ferocity of the storm was felt in most parts of the Hunter, with hundreds of houses flooded in Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Maitland and the Coalfields. More houses lost roofs at Stockton and Merewether on Wednesday while residents at Greta, Kurri Kurri and Weston were sweeping mud from their waterlogged homes.
‘‘It’s worse than the Pasha Bulker storm – that weather on Tuesday was just horrendous, so horrendous.’’
- – Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter crewman GRAHAM NICKISSON
Veteran Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter crewman Graham Nickisson said he had never seen such weather or expanses of floodwaters.
Considering that he has spent more than 30 years in the air above the Hunter and was the crew chief who rescued the stricken crew of the Pasha Bulker in 2007, that is a significant statement.
‘‘It’s worse than the Pasha Bulker storm – that weather on Tuesday was just horrendous, so horrendous,’’ Mr Nickisson said.
‘‘We did fly further up the valley this time, compared to just to the coast to the ship back then, but this was much worse.’’
