Floodwaters were slowly receding in the Singleton area on Thursday morning after peaking in the early hours, as the State Emergency Service remained on alert for more expected flooding down-river in the Maitland and Raymond Terrace areas.
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Luskintyre on the western side of Maitland became isolated early on Thursday morning, as rising flood waters from the Hunter River cut access access from the east side of the bridge.
"Maitland SES volunteers have limited access to Luskintyre, and will continue to monitor the situation," Maitland SES said in a statement.
An evacuation order remained in place for Glenridding, Dunolly, Combo, Whittingham and Scotts Flat as of 7.30am, but that was being re-assessed as the water level continued to drop.
Low-lying areas around Bulga and Wollombi remained isolated and were expected to stay cut-off until Friday, SES spokesperson Steve Kada told the Newcastle Herald.
Parts of the Putty area also remained isolated on Thursday morning.
Emergency response crews and other agencies were speaking with affected residents to organise re-supply of essential goods.
Putty Road is closed at Bulga and between Milbrodale and south of Colo Heights. More details of road closures can be found on the Maitland, Cessnock and Singleton council websites.
The dam at Bayswater Power Station is the subject of an amber alert - similar to a watch and act warning during times of bushfire.
Mr Kada said it was unlikely the dam would fail but, if it did, it would close a section of the New England Highway.
He said there was concern about water moving down-river and the SES believed the levels later on Thursday could break the levee at Morpeth.
After a peak height of 13.16 metres in the Hunter River at Singleton overnight - considered a major flood level - the SES was anticipating a peak of 9.5 metres (a moderate flood) at Maitland's Belmore Bridge on Thursday night before a minor flood of 2.5 metres at Raymond Terrace about 1am on Friday, coinciding with the high tide.
The NSW Bureau of Meteorology has withdrawn a severe weather warning for the region.
The state's education department has released the following list of schools closed on Thursday:
- Afterlee Public School
- Albert Park Public School
- Blakebrook Public School
- Bligh Park Public School
- Brewongle Environmental Education Centre
- Broadwater Public School
- Broke Public School
- Cabbage Tree Island Public School
- Camden High School
- Camden Public School
- Camden South Public School
- Cattai Public School
- Cawdor Public School
- Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Education (Provisional)
- Colo Heights Public School
- Colo High School
- Condong Public School
- Congewai Public School
- Coraki Public School
- Crabbes Creek Public School
- Dorroughby Environmental Education Centre
- Douglas Park Public School
- Dungay Public School
- Dungog Public School
- Ebenezer Public School
- Elderslie High School
- Elderslie Public School
- Empire Vale Public School
- Falls Creek Public School
- Freemans Reach Public School
- Glossodia Public School
- Granville South Public School
- Greenwell Point Public School
- Havenlee School
- Hawkesbury High School
- Hinton Public School
- Hunter River Community School
- Inner Sydney High School
- Iona Public School
- Islington Public School
- Jerrys Plains Public School
- Kangaroo Valley Public School
- Kinchela Public School
- King Street Public School
- Kirkton Public School
- Ku-ring-gai High School
- Kurmond Public School
- Laguna Public School
- Larnook Public School
- Leeville Public School
- Lismore Public School
- Lismore South Public School
- Londonderry Public School
- Longneck Lagoon Environmental Education Centre
- Macdonald Valley Public School
- Main Arm Upper Public School
- Maraylya Public School
- Maroota Public School
- Mawarra Public School
- Megalong Public School
- Milbrodale Public School
- Modanville Public School
- Moorebank High School
- Mount Hunter Public School
- Mount Pleasant Public School
- Mullumbimby High School
- Mullumbimby Public School
- Murwillumbah East Public School
- Murwillumbah High School
- Nimbin Central School
- North Nowra Public School
- Oakville Public School
- Old Bonalbo Public School
- Para Meadows School
- Penrith Anglican College
- Penrith Lakes Environmental Education Centre
- Pitt Town Public School
- Richmond High School
- Richmond Public School
- Sanctuary Point Public School
- Singleton Heights Public School
- Singleton High School
- Singleton Public School
- St Georges Basin Public School
- Sussex Inlet Public School
- Tabulam Public School
- The Rivers Secondary College, Kadina High Campus
- The Rivers Secondary College, Lismore High Campus
- The Rivers Secondary College, Richmond River High Campus
- Tomerong Public School
- Towamba Public School
- Tumbulgum Public School
- Tuntable Creek Public School
- Vincentia High School
- Vincentia Public School
- Wallacia Public School
- Wardell Public School
- Warragamba Public School
- Whalan Public School (preschool only)
- Whian Whian Public School
- Willawarrin Public School
- Wilson Park School
- Windsor High School
- Windsor Public School
- Windsor Park Public School
- Windsor South Public School
- Wisemans Ferry Public School
- Wyong Creek Public School.
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