A rescue in floodwaters on Hawkesbury River averts collision between shipping container and houseboats.

The collision was narrowly averted after Hawkesbury Houseboats received a phone call from John and Cory Clarke, residents of Wisemans Ferry, about the out-of-control container.

Mr Clarke put his drone up to monitor the container's movements.

The container crashed into the jetty at Wisemans Ferry then continued downstream, until Simon, a staff member of Hawkesbury Houseboats, headed out to meet it in a tinnie.

The footage filmed by Mr Clarke shows him bump into the container, then divert it away from a line of houseboats.

Mr Clarke said if the container had collided with the houseboats the damage would have been severe. 

Moree evacuation order

Residents in Moree's low-lying areas are being ordered to evacuate due to major flooding.

The Mehi River at Moree is expected to peak at 10.4 metres at 9:00pm on Wednesday, and some areas of the town are being told to leave by 9:00pm tonight (Tuesday).

People in all properties north of Heber Street and west of Boundary Street need to leave by 10:00am on Wednesday.

Evacuation orders are now in place for low-lying areas of Southgate in Grafton, where floodwater is expected to pass 5.4 metres this evening and roads and properties may be flooded.

The NSW SES says people need to get to friends or family or the local evacuation centre at South Grafton High School in Tyson Street. 

Residents at Singleton have been issued a flood warning as the Hunter River is expected to reach the moderate flood level of 11.50 metres overnight.

Areas including Whittingham, Scotts Flat, Glenridding, Dunnolly and Combo Lane may need to leave and should prepare for possible flooding, the SES said.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says NSW is "not out of the woods yet" despite conditions in parts of the state expected to ease this evening.

A severe weather warning is now in place for damaging winds, heavy rainfall, high tides and damaging surf on the NSW South Coast and is expected to continue into the early evening.

Senior meteorologist Agata Imielska said "Dangerous conditions" continue to plague the state.

The Mid-North Coast has been pummeled by heavy rainfall, with areas like Nambucca Heads copping 245 millimetres to 9:00am on Tuesday morning.

The area has already received over a metre of rainfall since Thursday.

"Putting that into context, that is two-thirds of annual rainfall falling in the space of just one week," Ms Imielska said. 

The north-west slopes — including Tamworth, Gunnedah and Moree — received four months worth of rain in just 24 hours.

However, Ms Imielska said the weather system that brought the rain is moving quickly and Western Sydney and the Mid-North Coast could see a change in the weather.

Story By | Emma Elsworthy