AS RAIN continues to batter the Hunter over the weekend, NSW SES crews have been kept busy with rescues and resupply missions to cut-off communities across the region.
While Singleton started to see some reprieve from rising floodwater, levels remained steady at Maitland, Raymond Terrace, Duckenfield, Hinton and Millers Forest.
And, while most have gotten the message about steering clear of floodwater, NSW SES Metford Incident Control Centre public information officer Steve Lawrence said crews are still being called to rescues - including a couple trapped in a car at Raymond Terrace on Saturday night.
"That couple were successfully extracted, and with all the road closures across the Hunter that one flood rescue is fairly good, given the size of the area and the amount of people travelling but we still have to warn people not to drive through floodwater," he said.
The main focus is resupplying and liaising with isolated communities at Gillieston Heights, Duckenfield, Millers Forest and Hinton with at least five crews taking fodder and food supplies over in boats.
"There has been a mixed reaction, some people are well-prepared and used to this type of situation given how often it has happened over the last few years but others aren't coping as well," Mr Lawrence said.
"I think there are another couple of days to go before road access is restored fully.
"When exactly those roads will reopen is the million dollar question."
It came as a severe weather warning for damaging surf was issued for the Hunter coastline, with a separate hazardous surf warning for Newcastle through to Monday.
A low pressure trough moving up the coast on Sunday morning brought with it strong southeasterly winds, driving heavy surf from the southeast.
Floodwaters have started to ease for residents in Raymond Terrace, Maitland and Bulga, after structural concerns with Maitland's levee bank were resolved by NSW SES crews on Friday night.
The Hunter River at Maitland is expected to remain above the minor flood level until Monday after the weekend's wet weather.
The rain shows little sign of slowing down in Newcastle, as the Bureau of Meteorology predicts a 70 per cent chance of rain today with light showers likely through to the end of the week, with Sunday partly cloudy.
