"It's like being hit by a wave, like in the surf," Mr Sharkey told AAP from the flooded town in central-west NSW.
"It's definitely getting away, and it's building up fast."
About 1000 Forbes residents have been evacuated as the town endures its second major flood in a fortnight.
Torrents of water have split the town into three, and flooding is expected to linger for days.
Most people are remaining calm, despite water inundating areas that have stayed dry in previous floods, Mr Sharkey said.
"They're pretty resilient this mob over here, I'll tell you that.
"You've got to roll with the punches."
Tom Green, a farmer who lives west of Forbes, was able to move his sheep to higher ground, where they remained perched on an island.
Crops across the region have been sitting in water for months after a wet spring and winter.
When floodwater moved through two weeks ago, farmers still hoped to be able to save some of their produce.
"This week, I'd suspect there's another big lot of crop gone. Some that we thought might have been salvageable might not be.
"Now people on higher flood plains are heavily impacted."
The community of Eugowra, east of Forbes, is mourning Diane Smith, whose body was found in floodwaters, after powerful flash flooding razed the village on Monday.
Long-time resident, Jack Barnes, said Ms Smith was rescued by locals and taken to a part of town that was believed to be safe.
"She was the loveliest, nicest person, just loved by the town," Mr Barnes said, his voice swelling with emotion.
Mr Barnes said the community is determined to recover and rebuild.
"Our town was really humming and buzzing.
"It was an absolute picture, it was all green, the roses were flowering, the crops were magnificent. Now, it's just an absolute disaster.
"But we will rebuild it. We need our young people to stay in this town.
"We don't want these houses closed down. We've survived all these years except for this one, please, let us keep going."
Mr Barnes said the village's heartache is deepened by poor connectivity.
"Lots of us still can't find other people because we don't have phone service.
"We're so worried."
Many Eugowra residents were flown to Orange and taken to the evacuation hub at the Ex-Services' Club.
The club's chief executive Nathan Whiteside said evacuees arrived on Monday evening, visibly ravaged.
"(They were) soaking wet, no shoes, some had their dogs and cats with them, seven-day-old babies.
"It was very confronting."
The club is accepting donations of grocery vouchers, baby supplies and new clothes and bedding.
Further west, the town of Condobolin has been cut off after the Lachlan River reached 7.41 metres, higher than the 1952 flood.
Paul Escreet said supplies like petrol and bread are running low.
"Most people are coping pretty well," he said.
"Once the road opens, that will ease a lot of people's minds."
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