Incredible footage of flooded Maude Road, west of Hay, shows Riverina plains transformed by Murrumbidgee River's major flood

The State Emergency Service issued the shelter now advisory for the Maude Township, around 50km west of Hay, at 2pm on Tuesday.

Evacuation routes are like to be cut off, the SES said, saying it was too late to leave safely.

"Seek shelter in a sturdy raised structure that can be safely accessed," the SES said.

"You may now be trapped without power, water, and other essential services and it may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you."

Maude Road, which connects Hay and Maude, was closed on Monday for all but local traffic. Access from the village to the Sturt Highway has also been closed.

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Footage captured by volunteers delivering sandbags reveals paddocks filled with water, the country resembling an inland sea as water spreads from the river across the flats.

The Murrumbidgee River at Hay is predicted to reach 9.2m on Wednesday, with major flooding. At 10am on Tuesday it was sitting at 9.1m and rising, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Bureau of Meteorology manager of hazard and preparedness Steve Bernasconi said the town was currently the main point of concern along the Murrumbidgee River.

"We have major flooding that's higher than the September 1974 flood occurring at Hay," Mr Bernasconi said in a statewide flood update alongside the premier and emergency services minister on Tuesday morning.

"The river at Hay is... rising with major flooding and it may stay that way right through until Wednesday.".

Road access to Hay has already been limited by the rising river, with the Sturt Highway closed 30km west of Darlington Point.

The Sturt Highway has also closed to light vehicles west of Hay, with stop-slow traffic control in place.

To the north, the Cobb Highway is open but only as far as Booligal, around 70km from Hay. The rest of the highway is closed for the next 490km to Wilcannia, further isolating the rural and village communities of Mossgiel and Ivanhoe.

Those areas have been able to connect to the Sturt Highway by travelling from Ivanhoe to Balranald.

A raft of local roads have also closed and water is over the bitumen on parts of the Mid Western Highway, which forms part of a major detour to access Hay from the east.

As of Monday afternoon, Alma, Old Thelangerin, Boxyards, Nap Nap, Hay Weir, Ti-Tree, Sidonia, Lara, Romani, Jerilderie and Murrumbidgee River roads were closed in the shire.

A list of local road closures is maintained on the council's website.

For emergency help in floods and storms, call the SES on 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

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