Hundreds of homes impacted by flooding in Moree as rescue personnel set up tent city for huge clean up operation

Major flooding continues to split the town in two as the wall of water in the Mehi River moves downstream slowly.

The Mehi peaked at 10.5m about 11am on Sunday, but had only fallen 30cm, 24 hours later.

"The water is not going anywhere quickly, there is a lot of water in town still," Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall told the Leader.

"There is so much water in the system, and there is still so much water coming down the system.

"It's just moving so slowly, and only dropped 30cm in 24 hours.

"Every flood is different and the water is doing things we've never seen."

Forty people slept at the town's evacuation centre on Sunday night but 396 people have been displaced by the floods and have registered with the authorities after being evacuated.

SEE ALSO: SES warns floods are not receding fast enough meaning water is here to stay

And while emergency services estimate more than 300 homes have been impacted by flooding, it's too early to tell how many have had flooding through houses, or over the floorboard level.

Emergency services are restoring bus services and the Newell Highway from Narrabri to Moree will reopen after the water dropped across the highway.

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But the Newell Highway north of Moree could be cut for up to week, Mr Marshall said.

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Tom Cooper said there were strike teams based in both Moree and Gunnedah to help emergency services.

"They are there to start doing some rapid damage assessments when they can because we believe there is more than 200 homes in Moree that have been inundated," he told the Leader.

"A swift water team up in Moree rescued eight people on Sunday in the town precinct, and they have also helped to relocate 30 people that haven't been evacuated."

Evacuation orders for several streets remain in place in Moree.

Mr Marshall said on Monday the focus is on food hamper deliveries, resupplies, planning for the impact on downstream communities and some road and public infrastructure damage assessments.

He said the local spirit had been incredible as everyone banded together to prepare for the wall of water.

"Everyone has been amazing, and all the emergency services and community," Mr Marshall said.

"We're better prepared, and we're better prepared for the clean up."

He said 150 emergency service personnel are starting to arrive in Moree for the huge clean up including Rural Fire Service volunteers, Fire and Rescue NSW staff, and the Australian Defence Force.

"And they're ready to roll for the clean up," Mr Marshall said.

"There is a tent city being set up in Moree and they're completely self contained, and they will eat and sleep there so they're not burdening the town, they're here to work and help."

Mr Marshall said Coles and Woolworths were being restocked and Woolworths was likely to reopen before Coles, which is at the bottom end of town where some of the flooding is lingering for longer.

The Bureau of Meteorology said major flooding is occurring along the Gwydir River at Yarraman Bridge. Moderate flooding is also occurring at Gravesend and Pallamallawa.

An emergency warning for evacuation remains in place in Moree including:

The SES maintains the properties, businesses, roads and essential services are expected to be impacted by dangerous floodwater for a number of days.

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