THE death toll from this week’s killer east coast storm rose to at least eight yesterday as Sydney, The Hunter and the Central Coast struggled through a third day of ­record-breaking rain and strong winds.

Yesterday, a man died after his ute and a garbage truck collided at Galston, and an 87-year-old pedestrian died after being hit by a car in East Gosford. Both accidents were blamed on the storm.

CENTRAL COAST COUNTS THE COST

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RIVER OF TEARS AT LOSS OF DUNGOG VICTIMS

media_camera The flooded causeway at Maitland / Picture: Adam Taylor

media_camera Parramatta ferry wharf / Picture: AFP

Two people were also killed on the New Eng­land Highway near Singleton yesterday, after a horror head-on collision in wet conditions. The driver of each car died at the scene at about 3.20pm.

Two passengers in one car, both aged in their 20s, were flown to hospital in serious condition.

media_camera A house in Maitland isolated by floodwaters / Picture: Adam Taylor

media_camera Dungog from the air / Picture: Adam Taylor

The deaths came as the tiny town of Dungog, north of Newcastle, mourned the loss of two men and a woman, aged in their 60s and 70s, who drowned in their homes during a flash flood on Tuesday.

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DUNGOG’S WHEELIE BIN FLOOD HERO

HISTORY SWEPT AWAY BY RECORD DELUGE

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media_camera Hunter properties under threat of flooding after the Hunter River burst its banks. Picture: Neil Keene media_camera Hunter properties under threat of flooding after the Hunter River burst its banks. Picture: Neil Keene

Also in the Hunter Valley, police divers recovered the body of an 86-year-old woman near Maitland after she became trapped in her car in floodwaters off the ­Cessnock Rd causeway about 9am yesterday. Divers also recovered the silver Hyundai the woman had been travelling in.

media_camera Dungog / Picture: Adam Taylor

NO DANGER OF DAM COLLAPSE AT MANLY

WORKERS BATTLED SWAMPED STATIONS, ROADS

COTTAGE CARRIED OFF ITS FOUNDATION AT GRETA

media_camera SES searching for two people swept from the causeway / Picture: Adam Taylor media_camera Aerial picture of damage to homes in Newcastle / Picture: Adam Taylor

Onlookers tried desperately to save the woman after rapidly rising currents swept her car off the road.

Two would-be rescuers lost their own car as they dived into the water to help.

The woman was returning home after driving to Maitland for supplies when she became trapped.

media_camera Aerial picture of damage to Dungog / Picture: Adam Taylor

Maitland was among 12 areas from Newcastle to Sydney declared natural disaster zones by Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan and NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott.

Widespread flash flooding also hit streets and rail corridors across Sydney.

Despite the rising death toll and repeated calls from government and emergency services leaders to avoid floodwaters, SES and firefighters made more than 110 rescues involving drivers trying to cross flooded roads.

media_camera Tree being removed in Warriewood / Picture: Martin Lange

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DUNGOG: A DAM MAY HAVE SAVED THE TOWN

media_camera Flood devastation in the main street of Dungog / Picture: Peter Lorimer

Further west, the Parramatta River became a raging torrent and burst its banks, leaving walkways under water and riverfront cafes ­inundated. The ferry weir was also flooded, causing ferries to be suspended from Rydalmere to Parramatta.

media_camera Dungog / Picture: Adam Taylor

Premier Mike Baird applauded the tireless work of emergency services workers, including 800 SES volunteers who have responded to more than 10,500 calls for help in the past three days.

“They put everything on the line for our communities across this state and we are incredibly grateful for them and thank them for their continued work,” he said.

media_camera Hobby farmer Wayne Dark powers up his tinnie to rescue cattle in the Hunter Valley / Picture: Peter Lorimer.

media_camera A tree onto a house along the shore of Lake Macquarie / Picture Waide Maguire

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Mr Baird asked residents of Maitland and the Central Coast, who have borne the brunt, to “hang tough”.

“We are there to support you, and undoubtedly we still have some difficult hours ahead of us.”

media_camera Wild weather in Wollongong Harbour / Picture: Benji Reef www.benjireef.com.au

media_camera Dungog / Picture: Peter Lorimer

As almost 100 SES volunteers from the ACT and Victoria arrived to help, NSW SES Commissioner Adam Dent warned the emergency was far from over.

“The most difficult days are still ahead of us in terms of getting on top of the scale of this event,” he said.

media_camera Dungog flood victim Brian Wilson. media_camera Dungog flood victim Colin Webb.

Yesterday more than 225,000 homes and businesses were without power.

Network NSW CEO Vince Graham warned it could take until the weekend to restore electricity to all customers: “The sheer magnitude of this storm will mean it will be some days before we are able to restore power and I expect it will be well into the weekend before we are mopping up the tail of this activity.”

media_camera The Hunter River burst its banks / Picture: Neil Keene

Ausgrid’s electricity network was ravaged, with 130,000 customers in Newcastle and Hunter Region, 80,000 on the Central Coast and 15,000 in Sydney losing power. Mr Graham said the mass blackout had led to a spike in generators being sold but warned people not to use them ­indoors.

media_camera Grandmother Christina Ellul being rescued in Schofields / Picture: Carmela Roche

media_camera The Georges River at Chipping Norton / Picture: Mark Evans

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the storm a catastrophe, with expected losses of more than $129 million and rising.

By last night insurance companies had received more than 19,500 claims from customers for damage caused by trees falling on houses and cars, and leaking roofs.

media_camera Moorebank / Picture: Craig Greeenhill

In south Sydney, a woman was rescued from her car when it stopped in the middle of flooded Bexley Rd.

On the northern beaches, a stilt house at Narrabeen sat precariously for most of the day as emergency service personnel and engineers waited for it to fall after the storm ripped support structures from beneath it, causing a landslide.

Despite the soaking, Fire and Rescue NSW attended 100 fires yesterday.