Looters exploit chaos after tornado hits NSW coastal town

Houses were severely damaged and roofs torn off in Lennox Head on the north coast of New South Wales. Photo / Getty Images

LENNOX HEAD - The storm-ravaged northern New South Wales town of Lennox Head will appeal to the state Government to declare the area a natural disaster as residents keep a wary eye out for further tornadoes.

State Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan was on his way to the town and was to inspect a caravan park where looting has been reported in the aftermath of the emergency.

Lennox Head Mayor Phillip Silver planned to meet Whan.

"I'll be putting a bid to him that a combination of council, state-owned and private property damage warrants a declaration, but that's entirely his call and it may not technically meet the threshold," he said.

"But certainly the intensity of the private property damage is quite extreme."

The State Emergency Service said the storm caused "very significant damage" and a number of houses were beyond repair after a waterspout moved across the coast.

SES Region Controller of the Richmond Tweed Region Scott Hanckel said there were 82 requests for assistance.

"A number of houses are obviously write-offs," he said, adding that power infrastructure was also affected.

At last count, about 12 homes had been demolished.

Up to 2000 homes are without power and Country Energy says its customers may be in the dark for up to two days.

Whan said earlier another storm front was approaching the area.

"Weather in the area is still very severe with offshore waterspouts threatening to come onshore. We are expecting flooding to develop soon and it may last for several days."

The Pacific Highway is cut between Ballina and Byron Bay by flooding.

About 80 people headed to an emergency and evacuation centre set up in the town's Bowling and Sports Club.

Six people were hurt at Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park and a mother and daughter were taken to Ballina Hospital.

Police responded to reports of looting at the badly damaged Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park. They cleared people out of the worst affected areas after caravan owners reported seeing people going inside damaged vans.

Elsewhere in the town, people were reluctant to leave their damaged homes.

"There's a bit of looting going on," said resident Andres Spark.

Residents said the storm descended rapidly on the town and sounded like a crashing jumbo jet.

At its height, Rob Brown, wife Mayata and their son Mahdi were bunkered down in fear inside their house as the funnel of the storm passed overhead, causing mayhem.

"Before I knew it trees were being uprooted, bricks tossed around and flung into fences and houses were going up into the air - it was carnage," he said.

Peter Carmont's two-year-old house looks intact but the garage in the backyard has been obliterated. "It only lasted about three minutes but the roof of my garage ended up 200m down the street."

- AAP