Emergency services have carried out a major rescue operation across Sydney after intense thunderstorms triggered dangerous flash flooding overnight, submerging parts of the city and leading to thousands of calls for assistance.
Record Rainfall and Widespread Damage
Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms lashed New South Wales, both north and south of Sydney, with enormous rainfall totals recorded across the metropolitan area. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded a staggering 257mm of rain at Great Mackerel Beach, about 43km north of the city, in just 19 hours from 9am Saturday to 4am Sunday. Other significant totals included 187mm in Avalon and 157mm in Terrey Hills.
Emergency Services Stretched Thin
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) was inundated with calls, performing more than 1400 jobs over a 24-hour period. Crews rescued more than a dozen people from floodwaters, including one driver in Revesby who misjudged the depth of water on the road and became trapped.
Tragically, the severe conditions turned deadly on the Macquarie Pass, south of Wollongong, where a woman was killed after a tree branch fell onto her car while she was driving.
Ongoing Warnings and Evacuations
Multiple warnings remain active across the region. An evacuation order is in place for the Narrabeen Lagoon, impacting the BIG4 Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park. Watch and Act warnings are also current for the Manly lagoon, while residents in Yarramalong and Dooralong have been advised to prepare for isolation for up to 36 hours due to rising floodwaters.
The Bureau of Meteorology has maintained a severe thunderstorm warning with heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding for Sydney, as well as parts of the Hunter, Central Tablelands, Blue Mountains/Hawkesbury, and Gosford/Wyong regions. Suburbs including the Sydney CBD, Colo Heights, Ryde, Hornsby, Parramatta, and Penrith were identified as likely to be hit on Sunday morning, with Springwood and Bilpin also potentially impacted.
The NSW SES continues to urge residents to avoid floodwaters, stay informed via official warnings, and never drive through flooded roads.
