Premier Dominic Perrottet says not a dollar will be spared in the effort to rebuild flood-ravaged Lismore and other northern NSW towns left decimated by this week's natural disaster.
At a press conference in Lismore today, it was revealed the federal government had offered to deploy 5,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to the region, with 900 set to arrive tomorrow.
The task at hand was a "mammoth" one, Mr Perrottet said, after at least 900 homes were deemed uninhabitable following damage assessments this week.
Mr Perrottet said the scenes of devastation on the ground in Lismore were "overwhelming" and he hailed the "truly heroic" actions of locals in the face of a catastrophe.
The Premier vowed the state government would "stand side by side" with the people of the Northern Rivers throughout a process he expected to take years.
"We will not stop day and night to ensure Lismore and the Northern Rivers doesn't just get back on its feet, but comes back stronger," he said.
"We are not going to spare a dollar. And we are putting everything into this."
Mr Perrottet said it was too early to put a dollar figure on what would be required but the initial focus would be on the cleanup, and that the significant issue of homelessness would be "front and centre".
The government was working to cut red tape for grant payments and was looking to increase amounts available and expand criteria, the Premier said.
Currently, non-citizens would be excluded from receiving support from some programs, which he labelled "unacceptable".
Five people have so far been confirmed dead as victims of the flooding, and Resilience NSW commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said it's likely the death toll would rise.
He said the number of people currently unaccounted for was extremely low, but with devastation over such vast landscapes "you can't rule out the prospects of more" deaths.
Lismore mayor Steve Krieg said the last week had been the most horrific of his life, as the community suffered through a "natural disaster of the highest order".
Mr Krieg said the people of Lismore were "broken" but he was determined to rebuild.
Minister for Emergency Services, and newly minted Minister for Flood Recovery, Steph Cook said being on the ground had shown the "unimaginable" scale of destruction.
Ms Cook said the state had asked the federal government for "everything they could give us", and welcomed the offer of 5,000 ADF personnel.
"When you see the task at hand in the streets of Lismore, we need every one of them," she said.
She also threw her support behind State Emergency Service volunteers after she said they had been under "unwarranted" criticism: "I just want you to know, as minister I back you all the way".
Major flood warnings remain in place across NSW, with residents in Coraki near Taree on the Manning River ordered to evacuate overnight.
A renewed warning for the state's coastal rivers has been issued, with heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast from tomorrow until Tuesday across parts of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, extending to the Hunter, Paterson, Williams, Gloucester, and Manning River catchments.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said this had the potential to cause renewed river rises in areas already impacted by flooding.
BOM meteorologist Craig Burke said at this stage, the wet weather was expected to continue until Tuesday.
"The weather pattern changes a little bit for Sunday with a bit more instability around and it's looking like there will be some fairly widespread showers and storms through the afternoon for Sunday," he said.
Major flooding is continuing at North Richmond and at Gostwyck Bridge in the Lower Hunter.
There are 67 evacuation orders in place across the state, with State Emergency Service (SES) Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan saying efforts will focus on three main regions today.
"We have the impacts and the significant flooding that's still occurring in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales," he said.
"We've also got the Sydney metropolitan flooding within the Western Sydney area that is still continuing as well and we have some flooding that was within the Central Coast but also preparing for the potential for flooding in the Mid-North Coast."
The SES said flooding had eased along the Tweed River, with an all-clear given to enter the Murwillumbah CBD on the far north-coast.
Water levels at Murwillumbah, Tumbulgum and Chinderah have fallen below minor flood levels.
Further south, there is an all-clear for low-lying properties in Lennox Head.
The Clarence River has been downgraded to minor flooding at Grafton, Ulmarra and Maclean.
'Haven't slept all night'
It's hoped a vital delivery of medications will get through to Coraki today, as water and essential supplies dwindle.
Local pharmacy owner, Paul Mason, has arranged for medicines to be dropped via road to nearby Casino, then picked up by boat.
Medications are being kept cold by hooking the pharmacy fridge up to a car.
He's concerned the load will be disrupted.
"Organised a drop this morning," he said.
"Haven't slept all night I'm that nervous that it's not going to get there but I hope to god it does.
"Hopefully, we get that delivery through at some stage today and there'll be a little bit of relief for people about medication."
Authorities yesterday confirmed a fifth person had died in flood-ravaged northern NSW.
Police said the body of a man, believed to be in his 40s, was discovered near Terragon, south of Murwillumbah, about 2pm yesterday.
Terragon is a small town located on the Tweed River, about 20 kilometres from Murwillumbah, which was inundated with floodwaters.
The bodies of four people were recovered on Tuesday and Wednesday in Lismore, which also experienced its worst flood on record.
