“Due to high flood waters, the Maitland flood gates being closed and continued difficult conditions, the forecast to return Hunter Valley operations has been revised and is expected to be an additional 48 hours at the earliest,” the Australian Rail Track Corporation said late yesterday morning.

“However, this forecast is still contingent on flood waters receding and access to the track. Sections of the track remain underwater and there will be significant clean up requirements to allow track repairs. Hunter coal chain, freight and passenger services remain suspended.”

Glencore’s open cut mines in the Hunter Valley were suspended on Tuesday due to the extreme weather. A spokesman said a gradual return to production began the next day and was continuing.

Anglo shut down its Drayton open cut mine on Tuesday night only to fully re-open it the next morning.

BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal’s mines and Rio Tinto’s Hunter operations were not believed to have been directly affected by the bad weather.

However, the various flooding of roads in the region have made it difficult for some workers to get to work in the drive-in, drive-out based Hunter industry.

Comment was sought from Peabody in relation to the Wambo mine.