Warning as ‘very dangerous storm’ strikes Sydney after causing landslides and flash flooding down south with 73mm of rain pummelling down in just an hour: ‘Do NOT drive’
A ‘very dangerous’ storm has struck Sydney with fears it could bring ‘life-threatening’ flash flooding in the city.
Emergency services were already responding to reports of landslides on Thursday afternoon and roads are being closed across the southern parts of Sydney.
Residents are being urged to stay indoors and not drive after a downpour battered the state.
Weeks of sunshine throughout NSW were cut short with Bellambi recording 95 mm of rainfall in one hour, 73 mm at Shellharbour Airport in an hour and Cringila hitting 90 mm in two hours.
Severe thunderstorms were forecast to hit the Sydney suburbs of Hurstville, Kurnell and Thirroul first and Bankstown, Holsworthy and Randwick by 2.40pm.
The Bureau of Meteorology said an ‘approaching upper trough is combining with an unstable environment’ to trigger the severe thunderstorms across NSW.
‘Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce intense rainfall that may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Metropolitan and Illawarra districts.
‘Other severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall were detected on the weather radar near Sydney Airport and Botany. They are forecast to affect Maroubra by 2.10pm.’
Heavy falls are also expected for inland areas from Orange to Yass.
The central regions of NSW are also forecast to cop a downpour on Thursday.
Sydney, Parramatta, Wollongong, Campbelltown, Kiama and Huskisson are predicted to be hit with intense rainfall on Thursday afternoon.
Edmund Rice College in Wollongong was evacuated after flooding and Towradgi Public School contacted parents about midday asking that children be collected early because of the storm.
A heavy rainfall warning has been issued for areas of the Central and Southern Tablelands including Orange, Bathurst, Yass, Blayney and Trunkey Creek.
In November, about 20,000 residents in central west NSW, particularly in Bathurst, were left without hot water to shower or ovens to cook with for weeks because of floods hitting a crucial gas pipeline.
SES flood rescue operators are attending incidents at Berkeley, Unanderra, Wollongong and North Wollongong.
The SES warns flash flooding could extend to Nowra, Port Kembla, Albion Park, Kiama and Huskisson.