THE MURKY waters of the flooded Mehi River have flowed on from Moree, but the devastation left in their wake is now becoming clear.
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The focus has now moved from rescue to recovery, with emergency services cancelling evacuation orders and issuing the all-clear for hundreds of residents to cautiously head home.
But, with more than 150 houses damaged by floodwater and several even deemed "uninhabitable", there's a long road to recovery ahead.
The State Emergency Service (SES), Rural Fire Service (RFS), Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and other support agencies from across the state are on the ground in Moree to help.
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FRNSW zone commander Superintendent Tom Cooper said multi-agency strike teams were continuing to assess properties in the flood zone and check for hazards.
"Crews are going around .... to make sure people can get back on their feet," he said.
Firefighters from Tamworth, Gunnedah, Coonabarabran, Uralla and Armidale have been deployed to Moree for at least the next three days.
"The people up in Moree are so resilient, they are really helping themselves, but they're glad to see some firies on the ground giving them a hand," Superintendent Cooper said.
He described the town as looking waterlogged, and said streets were lined with electrical items and household furniture that had been damaged beyond repair when floodwaters submerged parts of town.
Superintendent Cooper said a "recovery committee" had been formed with Resilience NSW and Moree council, and it would take more time to know exactly how much damage had been done and how long it would take to fix.
The clean-up launched in full force on Saturday for Moree Plains Shire Council, with street sweepers out and about and electricians and inspectors door-knocking flood-affected homes.
Council's kerbside collection has started for north Moree, the local waste facility is open for people to dump their flood rubbish for free and skip bins have been set up in town.
Crews are cleaning parks, pathways and equipment around north Moree.
The SES has asked locals to hold off on washing water marks off the outside of their homes, so crews can take note of flood heights.
The Mehi River level peaked early on Thursday at 10.43m, before receding back inside its banks.
Some more remote properties in the shire could be cut off from the rest of the world for weeks as floodwaters linger in low-lying areas.
Aircraft tasked to Moree during the flood crisis will deliver essential supplies.
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