As the pelting rain continues to fall on the flooding city of Lismore and people are still waiting to be rescued from rising flood waters - at least six people and a group of cats and dogs are safe and sound thanks to their rescuer Scott Noble.

With two borrowed kayaks, Scott paddled through the flooding streets of low lying areas of Girards Hill this morning - helping people trapped on their verandahs by rising flood waters.

Scott in his kayak.

Lismore view from top of Esmonde Street.

Now, the garage at Scott's son's house on Cathcart Street look like an evacuation centre, as the community again looks out for each other.

'I was helping my son evacuate people because it (the flood) happened so fast here and they were trapped,' Scott, a Girards Hill local said.

'I could see dogs stranded on balconies that were starting to go under, and so I got them onto the kayak and brought them back here.

'I’ve gone as far as Hungry Jacks and Aldis, but I don’t want to go on the main drag (Ballina Road) because rescue boats are tearing up and down there.

'These people are my neighbours. This is a once in a lifetime scenario and you just have to look after the people around you.

'We are safe up higher on the hill, but those down here need help.'

See the video of town from the top of Girards Hill; https://fb.watch/brMmmeq6cz

Bernard Hartmann.

The rescued

Sitting in the garage is long-time Lismore local Bernard Hartmann, who has lived on Cathcart Street for 32 years. He was rescued by Scott earlier and is thankful to be alive.

Around him are cages with dogs and cats - also saved by Scott.

Bernard has been living in Lismore a long time and has been through floods before. But this one is different.

'This is the fourth or fifth flood in 32 years and it's never come into the house before,' he said.'

Looking down Parkes Street from Cathcart Street.

'In the 1974 flood, it never came into the house. It was 18 inches under the floorboards.

'Like everybody here, we thought it would creep up slowly overnight.

I thought I can cope with that, so I got stuff out of the yard, but moved nothing in the house and went to bed about 1am.

'It was still raining when I woke up this morning - and I could hear noises coming from things in the house - like the piano tinkling.

'I stepped out of bed into the water and I could see everything was lost - my historical books and records.

'I made it to the front verandah and thought I can swim to the yard - but then someone (Scott) came past in a boat and yelled out and came and got me.'

Bernard said when he got into Scott's kayak, it wasn't his first rescue – he was rescued in the 2017 flood by the SES in a different location.

'I don't scare easy,' he said.

Now Bernard said he is 'catching his breath', waiting for his friends to come and bring him up the hill.

'Here, we all know each other and this brings us together,' he said.

Bernard is also worried about what will happen after the flood too. With many new businesses just opened, what will the future hold for Lismore as it finally recovers from the 2017 floods?

Other evacuees

At the top of Girards Hill, sitting in the the back of a van are two other escapees - Em and Sean.

'Our house is on the corner of Ballina and Wyrallah Road,' Em said.

'Last night, we were getting alerts from the SES into the night and we went to sleep finally at 3am with a plan for the morning.

'By the time we woke up, the water was way higher than the last flood - it was coming in quickly.

'So, we got essential items out, got in our van with the dog and went to higher ground

'It's about life now and we are happy we are safe and dry.'

Cathcart Street.

Help is on the way

The Lismore App is compiling a list of addresses of people who need to be rescued and is providing them to the SES. Please let us know if you know of anyone else in trouble who needs help.

Read more; Rescue List Update and GSAC new evacuation centre

With the promise of army (ADF) help on the way, we can only hope that there are no lives lost as many people are still stranded in their homes and calling for help.

The SES is already overstretched as Lismore bears the brunt of the biggest flood in recorded history.

There have been 145 recorded floods in Lismore since records began in 1887, of which 28 floods were classified as major level (9.7 metres or above). 

The biggest flood ever recorded in Lismore occurred twice and both floods reached 12.17 metres. The first flood to peak at this height was the flood of February 1954 and the second flood to peak at this height was the flood of March 1974. 

The flood of March/April 2017 was the second biggest flood in Lismore's history and that flood peaked at 11.59 metres. 

Since 1887 there have been a total of 8 floods in Lismore that have peaked at over 11 metres.

Houses on Cathcart Street.