Record floods cut a destructive path through eastern Australia on Friday, caking houses in silt, washing out roads and separating 50,000 people from help.

Major flooding hit several rural towns in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, with most of the Mid North Coast region facing further heavy rainfall through Thursday.

Record rainfall on Australia's east coast has led to catastrophic flooding, with three dead and one missing. Over 500 people have been rescued, and more rain is expected. Regions like New South Wales have been severely impacted,

A natural disaster has been declared in Australia after unprecedented floods in New South Wales. Police say there are "grave fears" for three others who are missing - including a 60-year-old woman and two men aged 25 and 49.

A slow-moving coastal trough has dumped about four months of rain over the past two days, cutting off entire towns and stranding residents on roofs and the second floors of their homes, as rescuers struggle to access the area by boat or air.