‘Next level destruction’: NSW residents detail the moments floods devastated their homes

Flood waters rushed through the valley at Wilsons Creek on Monday, destroying most of the houses along the river. Photograph: Sahar Zadah

The towns of the New South Wales northern rivers are used to floods – they are part of the region’s history and a product of its geography. But this time was different. The speed at which flood waters rose, the sheer volume of water and the scale of the damage caught many by surprise.

Politicians are calling these floods a once-in-a-100, or even a once-in-a-1,000-year event, but in reality these catastrophic weather events are becoming more intense and more frequent.