THREE men made a lucky escape on Sunday night after crashing into a drain at Georgetown in the dark amid heavy rain and flash flooding around Newcastle.
Paramedics said they were called to the suburb after a single-vehicle crash.
All three men who were in the sedan were treated by paramedics and taken to hospital.
They arrived at the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition, NSW Ambulance said.
The heavy rain and powerful surf combined with large tides to devour parts of Stockton beach, while several other rescues were required around the region.
Bureau of Meteorology data showed 117 millimetres fell at Gosford from 9am Sunday to 8am Monday, with 72mm at Norah Head and 21mm at Nobbys.
Authorities have been pleading for caution amid the conditions after a spate of accidents since Friday night.
