Australia’s east coast is being smashed by more torrential rain with flood warnings issued and millions of locals in coastal areas ordered to stay at home.
New South Wales is already saturated after being hit by repeated flooding in recent months, with the Northern Rivers area devastated by two deluges within weeks and Sydney drenched in its wettest March on record.
More than 100mm of rain fell on parts of southern Sydney overnight, with a further 140mm expected to be dumped on coastal areas in just six hours on Thursday.
The Harbour City has surpassed its average annual rainfall total of 1213mm, setting a new record for the fastest time to receive a year’s worth of rain.
An urgent evacuation warning was issued for low lying parts of Woronora and Bonnet Bay in Sydney’s south to get out now before it’s too late with NSW Rural Fire Service crews were filmed going door to door to warn locals.
Residents in Camden and Picton in the south-west outskirts are also warned to prepare to leave.
A severe weather warning is in place for southern and central NSW, metropolitan Sydney, the Illawarra, the South Coast, the Central and Southern Tablelands and parts of the Hunter.
A severe weather warning has been issued for much of the NSW coast. Areas in purple should expect at least 100mm of rain
Some of Sydney could receive up to 250mm of rain on Thursday (pictured, Sydneysiders battling the wild weather on Wednesday)
Severe thunderstorms are also predicted inland for the Central West Slopes and Plains near Parkes and the Upper West near Cobar.
The Bureau of Meteorology on Thursday warned there was an increased risk of landslides, with one already killing a British father and son hiking with their family in the Blue Mountains.
A flood watch has also been issued for central NSW, with minor to moderate flooding forecast for the Southern Coastal Rivers including the Hawkesbury-Nepean, the Macquarie and Queanbeyan rivers on Thursday and Friday.
An urgent warning was issued for low lying parts of Woronora and Bonnet Bay in Sydney’s south and Picton in the south-west outskirts to evacuate on Thursday morning.
Major flooding along Nepean River at Menangle, Camden and Wallacia is expected to reach similar levels to the April 1988 flood.
‘Floodwaters may isolate the area. If you remain in the area, you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you,’ an alert read.
‘Residents of areas expecting to be flooded should make plans to leave when advised to do so. Ensure you take pets and valuables with you.’
Sydney’s south-west is on high alert with major flooding expected at Liverpool and Milperra on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities have urged Sydney motorists to stay off the roads if possible.
‘We have seen widespread heavy rainfall overnight and it is expected to continue today with a high risk of flash flooding with lots of roads closed cut off and flooded,’ NSW SES assistant commissioner Dean Storey told Sunrise.
‘The key message for the community, particularly those getting up getting ready to go to work and hit the roads, is avoid unnecessary travel.
‘If you don’t have to take to the roads today, please avoid it. If you need to travel, drive to the conditions and never drive through those floodwaters.
‘If you live in a flood-prone area that is forecast to the impacted, have a plan in place and be ready to enact that plan if you are required to evacuate your home.’
Commuters battled a tough run into work from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with Pittwater Road inundated with water.
Wakehurst Parkway is also closed between Narrabeen and Oxford Falls.
In the city’s south, the Illawarra Highway at Macquarie Pass is closed due to landslip while flooding has cut Audrey Road in the Royal National Park.
Lawrence Hargrave Drive is closed in both directions on Seacliff Bridge between Coalcliff and Clifton due to a fallen tree.
Waterfalls have formed off the cliffs at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east after heavy rain on Thursday morning.
SES crews have responded to almost 600 requests for help in the last 24 hours, including seven flood rescues.
One man is lucky to be alive after a dramatic rescue from a flooded creek in Epping in Sydney’s north.
Sydney’s south copped an battering overnight, where Cronulla has received a 150mm drenching in the last 24 hours. Two thirds fell within three hours overnight.
Sydney Airport recorded 111mm, well above its average monthly rainfall for April.
Sydneysiders have been urged to stay off the roads. Pictured is flash flooding on Pittwater Road on the Northern Beaches on Thursday morning
The overnight deluge has already caused widespread damage on Rose Bay North (pictured)
Dozens of roads are closed across Sydney, including Audley Weir (pictured Wednesday night)
Flood warnings are in place for 12 rivers across NSW, including the Hawkesbury, Nepean, Colo and Georges rivers.
Minor warnings have been issued for the Hawkesbury River at Windsor and North Richmond and the Cooks River at Tempe Bridge and the Woronora River at Woronora Bridge.
Moderate flooding could occur on the Colo River at Putty Road.
Little Bay in Sydney’s south-east copped a 107mm drenching overnight while Darkes Forest on the south-west outskirts received 67mm within two hours.
On top of the wild weather, an oil spill has sparked havoc at Kurnell in Sydney’s south after a pump at the nearby Caltex Refinery, Australia’s largest fuel import terminal failed.
It’s been a wet night on Sydney roads with some areas receiving up to 120mm overnight on Wednesday
The weather is caused by a strong upper trough and embedded low amplifying over the centre of NSW, working to deepen another trough sitting off the coast.
The systems are expected to weaken on Friday morning.
‘Heavy and persistent showers over the coming days will increase the chance of flash flooding and landslips over already saturated catchments,’ BOM meteorologist Sarah Scully said on Wednesday.
Severe thunderstorms also pose a threat, including in northeast NSW.
‘They may produce localised heavy falls (but) it is not expected to produce that riverine flooding,’ Ms Scully said.
‘Instead, it’ll be more localised flash flooding.‘
Six-hourly rain totals between 60 and 100mm are forecast for Sydney on Thursday