She spoke of the anguish and fear of waiting for news of him as a furious storm unleashed the worst flash flooding in the city's history.

Mrs Thompson's grave fears were confirmed when told the 71-year-old former BHP fitter and turner had driven into a raging torrent of water blocking the road as he drove to Bellambi Railway Station to pick up their son, Adrian.

The night of August 17, 1998, is seared into the psyche of many residents.

Thousands of people saw their houses damaged or destroyed in the rising waters, while many more lost cherished possessions or found themselves stranded in freezing conditions.

Floodwaters caused widespread damage from Kiama to Stanwell Park, but the hardest-hit suburbs were Figtree, Fairy Meadow, Bellambi, Gwynneville and Mt Pleasant.

Mrs Thompson recalled the gratitude she later felt at the brave actions of residents in Brompton Rd, Bellambi, who risked their lives in a vain bid to rescue her husband before the car was swept into a deep-running creek.

The emotional scars left by his loss that night have never fully healed.

Mrs Thompson fought back tears this week during a visit to the site in Brompton Rd where Mr Thompson died.

In the aftermath of the storms came the heartbreaking task of cleaning up.

However, it wasn't just nature's fury that cast a shadow over a city on its knees as some of the nation's biggest insurance companies issued a blanket refusal on policyholders' claims.

A united outpouring of community anger and a campaign of protest ultimately forced an unprecedented change of heart by the insurers.

See Thursday's Mercury for the 16-page anniversary liftout of the August 1998 floods.