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Australia will impose a fresh round of sanctions against Russia, targeting people who disseminate propaganda and disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine.

Ten people with a strategic interest in Russia will be sanctioned for encouraging hostility towards Ukraine and driving false claims that a genocide was taking place against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said other financial sanctions will be imposed on Russia's armed forces, as well as six senior military commanders responsible for attacks on Ukraine.

Senator Payne said the invasion of Ukraine was also accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign within Russia.

"Tragically for Russia, President Putin has shut down independent voices and locked everyday Russians into a world characterised by lies and disinformation," she said.

"The addition of sanctions on those responsible for this insidious tactic recognises the powerful impact that disinformation and propaganda can have in conflict."

The foreign minister said Australia was working alongside major social media companies to help remove propaganda from their platforms.

"The assertion that there is a genocidal action happening in Ukraine against Russia, that there is a 'denazification' required in Ukraine, is an obscene suggestion," Senator Payne told Sky News.

"Putting a stop, with partners, to those who are perpetrating this disinformation, this propaganda, is something Australia can do."

It comes as Australia was included among a list of so-called unfriendly nations by Russia, following widespread sanctions by western nations.

Australia is included in the list alongside the European Union, the UK, US, Canada, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and South Korea.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the world, including Australia, was standing together against Russia.

"It's a badge of honour, and I think if we have, as a world, a united front against Russia's aggression, then I think that's a good thing," he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"It also makes us realistic about the threats within our own region, within the Indo-Pacific."

Mr Dutton said President Vladimir Putin was still determined to see the resurrection of the Soviet Union.

"That is dangerous, for Ukraine clearly, but for many other countries that are nervous in Europe at the moment," he said.

"We don't want to see conflict and all of us are working day and night to make sure that peace is maintained within our part of the world and that Ukraine can return and rebuild."

© AAP 2022

Communities living along 1000km of the NSW east coast are in for a drenching and more flooding as thousands of people in Sydney's south and southwest were ordered to evacuate.

Multiple flood warnings are current for vast swathes of NSW as heavy rain batters the state, where saturated soil and swollen rivers could lead to landslides.

State Emergency Service Assistant Commissioner Sean Kearns said there were 54 evacuation orders in place across the state and 16 evacuation warnings.

The SES received more than 2400 calls for help in the past 24 hours and undertook around 100 flood rescues, mostly in Sydney.

The east coast low that hit the Mid-North coast on Monday is moving south over the Hunter and Greater Sydney and would track into the Illawarra and South Coast on Tuesday.

"We are expecting to see widespread heavy rains today which will lead to river rises," Mr Kearns told Sydney radio 2GB on Tuesday.

"If we do issue an evacuation order take heed of that advice."

The SES ordered residents in multiple suburbs in Sydney's southwest along the Georges River to evacuate overnight - some without warning.

People in Camden were told to leave on Monday night after 80mm of rain fell and the Nepean River flooded.

"If you remain in the area you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you," the SES warned.

The SES later issued evacuation orders for Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point as well as parts of Holsworthy, East Hills, Milperra, Moorebank and Warwick Farm.

Evacuation centres have been set up in Canley Vale and Menai.

People living in parts of Emu Plains, Penrith and Mulgoa in Sydney's far west were told to prepare to evacuate.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds and heavy rain in Greater Sydney, the Hunter, the Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands and parts of the Mid-North Coast, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and the ACT.

Intense rain could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash-flooding with thunderstorms and six-hourly rainfall totals in excess of 150mm possible.

Damaging wind gusts peaking in excess of 90 km/h are also possible and storms are expected to continue until at least Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a 67-year-old woman and her 34-year-old son are missing after their car was found in a stormwater canal at Wentworthville in Sydney's west.

NSW Police were alerted after the Mazda3 was found in the Cooper Creek stormwater canal on Monday afternoon.

Sydney Trains is asking commuters to avoid non-essential travel and allow extra travel time as it undertakes inspections to ensure the rail network remains safe amid the deluge.

"What we are faced with is a very serious situation on broad areas of the NSW east coast," the BOM's Dean Narramore said on Monday.

The BOM warnings extend to "every community and town in between and extending well inland towards the Blue Mountains, Central Tablelands, Southern Highlands and possibly Canberra," he said.

A severe weather warning for damaging and hazardous surf is current for Hunter Coast, Sydney Coast, Illawarra Coast, Batemans Coast and Eden Coast.

Heavy rainfall over the past week has caused major flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.

The SES is warning river levels could rise along the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers, potentially bringing "deep and dangerous flooding".

Major flooding is occurring at Menangle, North Richmond, Wisemans Ferry and Putty Road.

© AAP 2022

Up to 80,000 people across NSW are subject to evacuation orders as the flood crisis continues to wreak havoc across the state's east coast.

A low pressure system off the Mid-North coast has brought torrential rain to the Hunter and Greater Sydney regions and is moving towards the South Coast.

The intense rain is causing minor to major flooding from the Queensland border down to the Victorian border.

The NSW State Emergency Service issued evacuation orders to 60,000 people in 13 suburbs across Sydney's southwest and west along the Georges River overnight.

There are now 54 evacuation orders across the state, as well as 16 evacuation warnings and multiple flood warnings, current for vast swathes of NSW.

SES Commissioner Carlene York said the primary areas of concern are Kempsey, Georges River, the Hawkesbury Nepean River, Wollongong, Shoalhaven, St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet.

A 67-year-old woman and her 34-year-old son are missing after their car was found in a stormwater canal at Wentworthville in Sydney's west.

NSW Police were alerted when the Mazda 3 was found in the Cooper Creek stormwater canal on Monday afternoon.

"We are quite concerned for their safety," Ms York said.

"It's very dangerous out there. There's a lot of water on the roads and it's prone to flash flooding as the heavy rains come."

The SES received more than 2500 calls for help in the past 24 hours and undertook around 200 flood rescues, mostly in Sydney.

Sydney has endured 16 consecutive days of rain and no reprieve from the deluge is expected until Wednesday.

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning saturated soil and swollen rivers could lead to landslides and flooding with rainfall of up to 200mm possible in Sydney's west and southwest.

Wind gusts of up to 90km/h are forecast, stretching south to the Illawarra region into Wednesday.

The BOM's Dean Narramore said widespread heavy rain overnight brought "devastating flash-flooding to some suburbs".

"It was a dangerous night through parts of southern and south-western Sydney," he said.

"Travel is definitely dangerous today not only because of rainfall ... Tonight we'll see possible trees and power lines down and landslips and flooding of roads.

"It's still dangerous times out there."

There has been 100mm to 200mm of rain in the past 24 hours.

People in Camden were told to leave on Monday night after 80mm of rain fell and the Nepean River flooded.

The SES later issued evacuation orders for Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point as well as parts of Holsworthy, East Hills, Milperra, Moorebank and Warwick Farm.

People living in parts of Emu Plains, Penrith and Mulgoa in Sydney's far west were told to prepare to evacuate.

Major flooding is occurring on the Macleay River, with parts of Kempsey in the north at risk of being inundated.

There is minor to moderate flooding in the Upper and Lower Hunter and major flooding on the Georges River in the Liverpool area.

The SES is warning river levels could rise along the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers, potentially bringing "deep and dangerous flooding".

Major flooding is occurring at Menangle, North Richmond, Wisemans Ferry and Putty Road.

Sydney Trains is asking commuters to avoid non-essential travel and allow extra travel time as it undertakes inspections to ensure the rail network remains safe amid the deluge.

© AAP 2022