As families clung to roofs in northern NSW waiting to be rescued, David Wilson was trapped inside his home - literally up to his neck in floodwater.
David has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair.
As torrential rain poured into the South Lismore home, he and his wife made desperate calls for help.
The Wilson family's shed is pictured submerged in floodwaters in Lismore, northern NSW. Source: Supplied
“The screams for help [from people on their roofs] was sickening,” Kurt said.
“I have never seen nor want to see that ever again.”
When he arrived at the house, rain bucketing down, Kurt smashed a window to get inside only to find his parents had already been rescued.
Later, he discovered a family friend had picked them up by boat.
“We have lost everything at mum and dad’s in South Lismore,” Kurt told SBS News.
“I lost tens of thousands of dollars worth of race cars in the family shed. Nothing will ever replace the memories but I’m just happy they are ok.”
As his dad undergoes a medical check-up, Kurt’s home in Casino is now also under threat with a severe thunderstorm warning in place.
"It's a waiting game now," he said.
“We’re not sure how far the floods will come because we’ve only been here for six months."
New South Wales Premier in the state's far north.
He said on Monday there have been 927 calls for assistance, with more than 500 flood rescues due to the "unprecedented" situation.
He urged people awaiting rescue to "please be patient".
"We are doing everything we can to help you … and just like the bushfires and the floods over the last couple of years, we will get through this challenge as well."
Lismore resident Ella Buckland has lost everything in the floods. Source: Supplied
Apart from some passports, baby books and a bag of clothes for her daughter, Ella has lost all of her belongings, with her home completely submerged.
“It was very quick. It was very sudden,” she told SBS News.
“The street was inundated with water. There was sort of nowhere to go.”
With only one road out of her street, Ella and her family were forced to drive through the floodwaters to escape.
“I believe the flood is now currently about 14.5 metres last time I checked, so it's a lot of water in my house. I've lost everything,” she said.
Ella is currently staying with friends before she returns to her house to clean up.
“I can't even imagine what it's going to be like going back. We haven't had a flood this big ever," she said.
“[The 2017 floods] really decimated the local community and people were still just recovering from that.
“I think people have lost a lot more this time.”
The first people he saved were a couple in their 70s. With water lapping at the ceiling of their home, the couple was forced to flee onto the gutter where they hung on for dear life.
“There was a current there. They were holding on and they wouldn’t have been able to hold on for much longer,” Ian told SBS News.
“Every street you went down, there were people crying for help. I asked people how long they’d been there and some said six, seven hours.”
With the SES and police overwhelmed, Ian was able to help out by rescuing about 30 people and one dog in the torrential rain.
He said some people became trapped in their ceilings after attempting to climb through manholes.
“We were having to pull sheets of roofs off houses. There were people using anchors or whatever they had to try to get people out.”
Ian works in the area as a house lifter, ensuring houses sit above flood levels.
He said residents in northern NSW were caught off guard because they thought lifting their homes above council-approved flood levels would keep them safe.
“Even for us, we have a house in Lismore that’s been lifted that we thought would be safe, way above the flood height and it ended up with two metres of water through it,” Ian said.
“People that I saw have lost everything. Their vehicles, all their personal belongings, and a place to live.”
Ian said despite everything, it was touching to see the community pull together through the disaster.
"There are other people out there doing more than me," he said.
"My cousin's house has been flooded, he's been out there since 7am and he's still out there now helping people."
