OF THE
TIMES
A fifth person has died in a region devastated by floods after dangerous conditions prevented emergency crews from accessing a home.
The body of a man believed to be his 80s was found inside a burnt-out vehicle in a shed on a Cooplacurripa property, about 50km north-west of Taree on the NSW mid-north coast.
A concern for welfare had been raised on Wednesday after the shed was reportedly spotted alight, but severe weather conditions prevented crews from getting to the property by road.
Access to the home was only possible by helicopter with officers arriving early on Friday afternoon, NSW Police said in a statement.
In some welcome news, a man missing in Nymboida has been located safe and well.
However, police have not ruled out floods as a factor in the disappearance of another man in Bellingen.
The intense rainfall that has battered the mid-north coast for several days moved south on Friday, but communities remain cut off and it will take some time to recover once floodwaters recede.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns planned to visit hard-hit Taree but their attempt to meet affected locals was called off, further highlighting the town's isolation by its second major flood in four years.
Comment: Update May 23
The Star (Malaysia) reports: