Rain eases, towns in NSW still isolated

A timely break in the weather has allowed many evacuees from flood-ravaged northern New South Wales to return home, but thousands more remain isolated.

State Premier Nathan Rees toured the devastated flood zone yesterday, appointing former police commissioner Ken Moroney to head recovery operations.

He said Moroney would be based in northern NSW, where flood warnings remain current for nine rivers, although the rain has eased, The state Government has declared a natural disaster area covering the Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley areas.

Around 16,700 people are estimated to have been evacuated.