The immediate threat was to the north-east of the state,with 150 millimetres expected and potential for up to 250 millimetres to fall in those parts on Sunday and into Monday.

Coastal communities south of Sydney were told to prepare for a similar torrent on Wednesday.

Ms York said now was the time for people further south to prepare their homes by securing loose items and clearing gutters.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet also stressed the message to “please get ready,please be prepared and please follow the instructions as they are issued”.

He said there had already been 70 flood rescues since the wet weather began on Tuesday.

Ms York said she did not want to see a tragedy in NSW like the death of a Queensland SES volunteer whose vehicle was swept away en route to a rescue on Friday night.

The Queensland death tollrose to six on Sunday when the body of a 34-year-old man was discovered in the Brisbane suburb of Indooroopilly after his car was submerged in floodwaters at 2.30am on Sunday. Fears are also held for another man who disappeared after falling into the Brisbane River.

In NSW earlier in the week,a man died after his 4WD vehicle entered floodwaters on the Central Coast,while Ms York said crews had recently had to rescue a bus.

Ms York said people driving larger vehicles often think they can get through floodwaters,“and that really risks their life and risks those volunteers who go out and save those people when they call for assistance”.

Ms Cooke said the government is “deeply grateful” to the 550 SES volunteers working in the north of the state,telling them “we know you are tired,but we need you to keep going”.

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