NSW Premier Mike Baird has called on workers from the Illawarra through to the Hunter to start heading home earlier while it is still daylight before the storm conditions get worse.
"If I can ask for bosses to be flexible, for people to make arrangements in an orderly way to start to head home as soon as you possibly can”.
According to him, there have been more than 4500 calls for assistance and up to 1000 calls to triple-zero.
"People need to be patient while we focus very clearly on the critical services in health and aged care," the premier said.
3 people were killed in flash flooding in Dungog as the damaging winds and heavy rainfall continues to lash NSW in Hunter, Sydney and the Illawarra.
The Department of Education and Communities said more than 100 primary and secondary schools, including some in Sydney metropolitan and Illawarra have temporarily closed.
The Insurance Council of Australia said that more than 5500 claims have been received from policyholders.
