NSW floods claim two lives

23 Feb 2013, 6:30 pm   -   Source: AAP
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One teenager has died and another 15 people have been rescued during severe weather across New South Wales. (AAP)

One teenager has died and another 15 people have been rescued during severe weather across New South Wales. (AAP)

Severe flooding on the New South Wales north coast has claimed two lives as at least 15 people are rescued in the wild weather on the state's coast.

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NSW police have confirmed that the body of a man has been found submerged in a car near Grafton as severe weather and flooding hits the state's coast.

It's now the second fatality following the drowning of a teenager after he was swept into a drain in the state's mid-north coast.

State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers were called to Rogan Bridge Road at Mylneford, about 20km northwest of Grafton, shortly before 1pm (AEDT) on Saturday after a car was seen submerged in floodwaters.

They found the body inside the car and alerted police who are working to identify the man.

Police are urging motorists not to drive into floodwaters following the man's death and the rescues of at least 15 other people from floodwaters during the severe weather passing down the NSW coast.

The man's death follows that of a 17-year-old boy who was sucked into a drainpipe on a golf course on the mid-north coast on Friday night.

The boy was collecting golf balls in waist-deep water with friends in the NSW town of Kew before he got swept away.

A friend found his body on Saturday morning.

FLOODS PROMPT EVACUATION ORDER FOR KEMPSEY

An evacuation order has been issued for residents of Kempsey on the NSW mid-north coast as the Macleay River rises to flood the central business district.

The order, and another for low-lying parts of Port Macquarie, comes as a low pressure system moves down the NSW coast bringing high winds, flooding and heavy rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has predicted the Macleay River at Kempsey Bridge will peak near 7.3 metres at 6am (AEDT) on Sunday with further rises possible.

It said the levee at Kempsey would be overtopped at about 9pm on Saturday, causing inundation of the CBD.

The State Emergency Service (SES) issued a warning to CBD residents not to delay their evacuation as roads could be congested or closed.

"You could become trapped and need rescue. Remaining in flooded areas is dangerous and may place your life at risk."

The SES urged affected residents to go to friends or relatives or evacuation centres that would be set-up at Kempsey High School.

An evacuation order has also been issued for low-lying parts of the Port Macquarie CBD, Settlement Point and North Shore areas, Hibbard Drive, Fernbank/Oaks Creek and low lying parts of Westport.

The BoM predicted the Hastings River will peak at 1.9m at the Settlement Point gauge at 10pm on Saturday with further rises possible.

NSW Floods

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