Hundreds of residents across inland NSW are under evacuation orders as rolling peaks continue to hit swollen rivers, inundating towns across southern and central western NSW.

In the wheat belt town of Forbes in the state’s central west, some 600 people have been told to evacuate their homes by 4pm Thursday as rising waters threaten to cut off homes and strand residents.

“I appreciate that communities right across the central and southern NSW are exhausted,” Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke told reporters on Thursday.

“Everyone is flood weary but we need to keep working through this. We need to keep working together.

“Whilst we are starting to see blue skies emerge … the flooding risk is very, very high at the moment.”

NSW SES Zone Commander Ben Pickup said record flooding was expected at Forbes on Friday night as the Lachlan River peaked at levels not seen since 1952.

He said peaks would continue through to Saturday morning.

“I really encourage the community of Forbes – please listen to the warning information,” he said.

“Please, please follow that messaging.”

Ms Cooke said significant flooding would continue across numerous inland catchments in the coming days.

“We are continuing to see peaks roll through the system even though there isn’t water falling from the sky at the moment,” she said.

Mr Pickup said significant flooding is impacting all major river systems across NSW.

Major flooding on the Lachlan River on Thursday is causing inundations in the town of Nanami.

Further downstream, major flooding is also occurring on the Lachlan River at Condobolin, with the river not expected to fall for weeks.

The Murrumbidgee River has also burst its banks, with major floods peaking at Gundagai on Wednesday night, and major peaks possible at Wagga Wagga on Thursday night.

Ms Cooke expressed her sympathies for the Gunnedah community, which has been hit by seven floods in recent weeks, and Wagga Wagga, which faces its fourth inundation since August.

Renewed, moderate flooding is also occurring at Albury and Corowa on the Murray River after widespread falls.

Ongoing significant flooding is continuing in the border town of Moama, where water levels are likely to remain high through to next week.

Clean-up efforts are continuing in the Riverina town of Cootamundra after thunderstorms and flash flooding on Monday.

Some 23 properties were destroyed and 37 damaged, rapid damage assessments by the SES and Fire and Rescue NSW found.

The SES has received 431 calls for assistance and conducted 15 flood rescues in the past 24 hours.

– AAP