The calls came during a powerful storm that hit homes and businesses and rapidly filled rain gauges throughout the Mid Coast region.

It hit hard and fell fast in spots. Comboyne Public School recorded 105 millimetres (mm) at its Bureau of Meterology weather station, Mooral Creek (The Den) 132mm and Logans Crossing (River) 166mm. Further north Port Macquarie Airport was hit hard with 202mm.

In the Manning region, Taree Airport recorded 85mm. It was the second highest 2017 rainfall event at the airport, with the highest 24 hour rainfall of 118mm recorded on March 16. The rainfall to November is 972.7mm which is more than the total rainfall recorded at that station for 2016, which was 906.8mm.

The bureau’s Taree (Patanga Close) station reveals a difference in the intensity of the storm in Taree as it recorded only 35mm in the same 24 hour period. Old Bar residents near Eucalypt Close also received 35mm, although the annual rainfall total for Old Bar is higher than Taree with 1084mm, and in March the town recorded a massive 399mm.

No information was available for the Wingham (Lanark Close) station but the outlying areas of Killabakh received 51mm and Mount George 37mm. Also around the region Elands received 20mm and Gloucester 37mm.

The impact of the storm and rain created challenges for Fays Twin Cinema. Power outage in the Chatham area saw the business unable to screen movies from around 4pm. It advised customers on Facebook that power was again on in time to screen the 8.50pm session of The Last Jedi.

Taree SES crew members are now on standby to assist crews working to deal with more than 100 requests for assistance in the Port Macquarie and Kempsey areas. It was the hardest hit by the powerful storm system.

NSW SES Mid North Coast Region is urging residents to make preparations around the home and to closely monitor local media for any severe weather warnings for heavy rain and flash flooding.

Deputy region controller, Maria Frazer is urging people to “take advantage of breaks in the weather, to clean gutters and downpipes, trim tree branches away from property and secure any outdoor times and furniture that may cause hazards.”

“We are extremely proud and grateful of our members who have been taken away from their families during this holiday time to respond to the needs of their communities. We are also asking people not to drive, walk or ride through flood water.”

For emergency assistance in storms and floods call the NSW SES on 132 500 and in life threatening situations call triple zero.