Driver's 'selfish' floodwater act slammed: 'Putting lives in danger'

As wild weather around the country causes widespread flash flooding along Australia’s east coast, one driver has been caught on camera removing ‘road closed’ signs on the Gold Coast – a move blasted by the mayor.

Mayor Tom Tate slammed the “dangerous” act and vowed there will be consequences.

“People are getting out of their car and removing the barriers, driving through and leaving the barriers open,” he told reporters at a media conference on Sunday.

“It’s so dangerous,” he added, saying while the driver may have a 4WD, the next car may be smaller and not as powerful.

“And what happens? They’re not as high as the 4WD that just went through, they get into trouble. Who is driving in there? Mum? Kids? You’re actually putting people’s lives in danger.”

Video captured the vehicle’s registration number and has now been forwarded to police.

“Each time we look at this you just see how selfish those people are and we will do something about it,” Mr Tate said.

On Sunday, the Gold Coast recorded 46.8mm of rainfall – the highest amount this month – but the rain is expected to ease from Monday.

Woman missing in NSW floods

A woman is missing in floodwaters in central-west NSW after a vehicle was swept off a causeway.

Three people managed to escape the vehicle and make their way to safety when it was inundated at Cooyal Creek at Gulgong, north of Mudgee, on Sunday night.

Police say a 45-year-old male driver and two male passengers – aged 43 and 26 – survived but a third passenger, a woman in her 20s, is missing after also getting free from the vehicle.

The search comes as two weather systems cause more pain for NSW residents in already flooded areas as emergency services prepare more people for evacuations.

There are more than 140 current flood warnings across NSW with almost every corner of the state at risk.

Residents at Lismore in the Northern Rivers region were told to prepare to evacuate on Sunday night amid the prospect of a third major flood there this year.

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The bureau is predicting heavy rainfall with possible flash flooding over parts of the Northern Rivers through the morning, with six-hourly rainfall totals between 60 to 100mm possible and conditions expected to ease later in the morning.

State Emergency Services northern zone commander Andrew Cribb said some low-lying parts of south Lismore were already underwater, although the flooding was unlikely to be as severe as the inundation that hit the area earlier this year.

"There are still some concerns ... we are still predicting up to moderate flooding," he told Nine's Today program on Monday.

Authorities are pleading with people not to drive through floodwaters with a frustrated premier Dominic Perrottet saying they are tying up resources and risking lives.

- with AAP

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