Manning Flood Review Report Page 15

Review of the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority

NSW Reconstruction Authority and the 2025 East Coast severe weather event

1.10 The Committee welcomes these amendments to the Act to inform future

operational reviews and will continue to monitor the Bill as it is considered by

Parliament.

May 2025 East Coast severe weather event

Finding 1

The May 2025 East Coast severe weather event was a historically significant

natural disaster that caused widespread damage and impacts for local

communities, particularly in the Mid North Coast region.

1.11 From 18 May 2025, a slow-moving weather system caused prolonged heavy rain

and severe flooding across the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Central Coast

regions. The severe weather event impacted 25 local government areas (LGAs).

1.12 Evacuation orders were issued across the region. During the response to the

disaster, the State Emergency Service (SES) led an extensive emergency response

with volunteers and partner agencies, completing over 800 flood rescues

between 14 May and 3 June.14

1.13 The disaster caused significant damage and impacts for local communities. Over

2,400 buildings were inundated, and floodwaters caused telecommunications

outages and infrastructure damage.

15 Essential Energy reported that 46,000

customers were affected by power outages.16 Supply chains were interrupted

and around 50,000 residents were isolated as a result of submerged roads.17 Five

people died during the flooding.18

1.14 Flooding was particularly severe in the Mid North Coast region, where the

Manning River flooded at record levels in what was described as a 1 in a 500-year

flood event.

19 The severity of the flooding was in part caused by higher-than-

average rainfall in the region earlier in 2025.20

13 NSW Reconstruction Authority, Annual report 2024-2025, p 70; L Cox and agencies, 'Floods isolate almost 50,000

people in NSW as BoM warns of more rain', The Guardian, 22 May 2025, accessed 23 March 2026.

14 Minister for Recovery, Minister for Emergency Services, Recovery continues for Mid North Coast communities as

NSW SES hand over to NSW Reconstruction Authority, media release, 3 June 2025, accessed 23 March 2026.

15 NSW Reconstruction Authority, Annual report 2024-2025, p 70.

16 Essential Energy, Updates on outages caused by storms and floods, 2 June 2025, accessed 13 August 2025,

archived 16 July 2025 at

<https://web.archive.org/web/20250716044910/https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/outages-and-faults/Outage-

Information-22052025>.

17 NSW SES, Resupplies, flood rescues to continue as 50,000 isolated by record floods, media release, 23 May 2025,

accessed 23 March 2026; NSW Reconstruction Authority, Annual report 2024-2025, p 70.

18 NSW Reconstruction Authority, Annual report 2024-2025, p 70.

19 Floodwaters on the Manning River at Taree exceeded the 500-year Annual Recurrence Interval. S George, F Lord,

S Montoya, V Chen, New South Wales Mid North Coast flood impact and resilience research, Natural Hazards

Research Australia, report number 56.2025, August 2025, p 3; MidCoast Council, Impact Assessment – May 2025

1:500 Year Flood Event, version 3, January 2026, p 4.

20 T Hemmings, 'Rainfall records smashed during Mid North Coast severe weather', ABC News, 4 June 2025,

accessed 23 March 2026; MidCoast Council, Impact Assessment – May 2025, p 4.