Northern NSW is cleaning up after a 'supercell' hail storm hit parts of the region, turning entire suburbs into carpets of white.
The towns of Toormina and Sawtell were hit hardest, with locals posting frightening pictures and videos to social media of the powerful deluge yesterday afternoon.
On Thursday morning NSW SES Coffs Harbour said it was responding to more than 850 requests for assistance in the Sawtell, Toormina and Boambee areas due to damage from the supercell.
'SES Crews are out in the field this morning tarping Roofs, temporarily repairing smashed windows, and providing assistance to affected members of the public,' a spokesperson said.
Louise Langley filmed hail crashing into the carpark outside the Toormina Lifeline shop during the storm's fiercest moment
Coffs Harbour SES said it had received the largest number of calls for assistance it had ever received
The storm hit the area about 2.30pm on Wednesday afternoon, with Toormina, Sawtell and Boambee the worst affected area.
Crew from the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW had also been called in to assist.
James 'Jimmy' Daniels, Unit Commander of Coffs Harbour SES, said it was the largest number of calls for assistance it had ever received.
'We've had significant damage to the shopping centres and nursing homes. we need to urge all residents and tourists to stay out of those areas,' he said.
The storm hit the area about 2.30pm on Wednesday afternoon, causing the roof in sections of Toormina Gardens Shopping Centre to collapse.
More than 400 shoppers had to be evacuated from the centre.
Local Andrew Slater, who filmed the ferocity of the storm from inside his house, told Daily Mail Australia he'd 'never seen anything like it'.
'Cars are smashed to pieces, there were snow banks around the roads. Crazy,' he said.
Louise Langley, who took video of hail stones smashing into the carpark outside of the Toormina Lifeline store where she works, said the storm was 'absolutely deafening'.
'It started off light, like normal hail, but then it went absolutely ballistic for about 3-5 minutes,' Ms
