It is expected to rise further as more inspections and assessments are carried out during the week.

Tamworth was declared a natural disaster area late on Saturday afternoon by Emergency Services Minister Tony Kelly, who had travelled to the city with State Emergency Services director general, Murray Kear.

Gunnedah was declared a natural disaster area late yesterday.

The Namoi River had peaked at 7.8m yesterday morning cutting the Oxley Highway to Tamworth.

Tamworth Regional Council general manager Glenn Inglis said the local damage was principally to roads, bridges, culverts, community facilities and water and sewerage infrastructure.

About 200mm of rain fell across the district in 36 hours.

Tamworth recorded 78mm during the day on Friday. Some residents have told The Leader they recorded a further 140mm during the ferocious storm that struck the city shortly after 9pm on

Friday.

It is believed the freak downpour was one of the worst to ever hit the city.

Three SES volunteers narrowly escaped drowning on Friday night when they went to the rescue of a stricken motorist.

A 10-year-old boy had to be rescued from a tree after the car in which he was travelling was swept away and an elderly motorist was plucked to safety by helicopter near Farrer early on Saturday morning.

The floodwaters peaked about 9am on Saturday with the Bridge St bridge totally closed to traffic for a short time.

The SES reported 130 call-outs as a result of the Friday night storm and power supplies were badly affected with up to 10,000 homes – many as far away as Boggabri and Narrabri – reportedly blacked out for a short time on Friday night.

Businesses in Avro St, Taminda, reported major flooding.

Residents of Bendemeer were among the hardest hit with floodwater from the Macdonald River peaking about midday on Saturday.

Saturday’s natural disaster declaration gives affected residents access to government assistance to get back on their feet.