The Pacific Highway is closed between Tumbulgum and Chinderah and blocked north of Ballina. The Roads and Traffic Authority is advising people travelling between Sydney and Brisbane to delay their journey or use the New England Highway. In Tenterfield, the cleanup is continuing with damaged roofs and fallen trees causing some of the greatest problems. Further north, virtually every building in the village of Wallangarra was damaged and the meatworks had to close because of the loss of electricity. Authorities in the area are still assessing the damage.
Many people are still without electricity and telephone services and some roads are still closed.
At one stage during the night police had to close the New England Highway south of Tenterfield because of the number of trees lying across the road. No-one was injured. Damaging winds and driving rain last night buffeted the region with Energex crews spending most of the night repairing fallen power lines. River levels are also being monitored on the Gold Coast. With wind gusts hitting 100 kilometres an hour in some areas, about 15,000 homes lost power during the night.