Australia's Byron Bay submerged as fresh flooding wreaks havoc

Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S famous coastal hotspot Byron Bay is underwater, as torrential rain sparks a fresh wave of flooding in the northern regions of New South Wales state.

Thousands of people have been issued evacuation orders in the area, with the main streets of several towns, including Byron Bay, home to stars including Chris Hemsworth, inundated with water and debris. In nearby Lismore, the town centre has again been evacuated, when thousands of its residents are still homeless after earlier flooding.

After tens of thousands fled their homes earlier in the month during the first wave of downpours, the cost of damages are spiralling with estimates well into the billions.

The situation prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrison to declare a national emergency, giving the government more powers to deploy aid and defence force personnel.

Meanwhile, Hemsworth, the Hollywood A-lister who famously played "Thor" in the Marvel film series, is reported to have sent private helicopters in recent weeks to help deliver supplies to help people affected by the climatic disaster, according to local radio station Nova FM.

The New South Wales state disaster recovery agency said on Sunday that approximately 72,000 tons - or 96 Olympic swimming pools - of waste from the first bout of rains had been removed in the northern rivers region.

As of last week, there have been more than 165,000 claims to insurers as a result of the floods in NSW and Queensland, the Insurance Council of Australia said.

The crisis is sharpening debate over the government's climate policy as the nation heads into an impending election campaign, with Morrison conceding earlier this month that a changing climate is making the country a more difficult place to live. BLOOMBERG