The State Emergency Service (SES) said the storm caused "very significant damage" and a number of houses are beyond repair after a waterspout moved across the coast.
SES Region Controller of the Richmond Tweed Region Scott Hanckel said there were 82 requests for assistance.
"A number of houses are obviously write-offs," he told journalists, adding that power infrastructure was also affected.
At last count, about 12 homes had been demolished.
Up to 2000 homes are without power and Country Energy says its customers may be in the dark for up to two days.
Mr Whan said earlier another storm front was approaching the area.
"Weather in the area is still very severe with offshore waterspouts threatening to come on shore," he said.
"We are expecting flooding to develop soon and it may last for several days."
The Pacific Highway is cut between Ballina and Byron Bay by flooding.
About 80 people headed to an emergency and evacuation centre set up in the town's Bowling and Sports Club in Stewart Street.
The centre will remain open tonight but Mr Hanckel warned it did not have the capacity to look after people on a semi-permanent basis.
But he said the news on injuries so far was relatively good, with no deaths recorded.
"Thankfully we have been very lucky," he said.
Six people were hurt at Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park while a mother and daughter were taken to Ballina Hospital. One person earlier reported missing has since been found safe.
Police responded to reports of looting at the badly damaged Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park.
They cleared people out of the worst affected areas after caravan owners reported seeing people going inside damaged vans.
Elsewhere in the town, people were reluctant to leave their damaged homes.
"There's a bit of looting going on," resident Andres Spark told AAP.
Mr Silver said he had heard the rumours about looting.
"I certainly can't confirm it, but the SES will be taking over road traffic control and this will allow police to concentrate entirely on property protection.
"If it's true it's absolutely diabolic."
Residents said the storm descended rapidly on the town and sounded like a crashing jumbo jet.
At its height, Rob Brown, wife Mayata and their son Mahdi were bunkered down in fear inside their house as the funnel of the storm passed overhead, reaping mayhem.
"Before I knew it trees were being uprooted, bricks tossed around and flung into fences and houses were going up into the air - it was carnage," he told AAP in Lennox Head.
Peter Carmont's two-year-old house looks intact from the street but the garage in the backyard has been obliterated.
"It only lasted about three minutes but the roof of my garage ended up 200m down the street," he said.
At the caravan park vans were ripped from their moorings and flung into the air, with one ending up on top of its neighbours.
The Queensland government has offered to assist its NSW counterpart.
A spokesman for Mr Whan said the situation was under control and enough volunteers and people were on standby.
"We will see what happens over the next few days as river levels start to rise, and may reassess," he told AAP.
- AAP
