A clean-up is underway across parts of the Illawarra after a ferocious storm ripped through the region late on Saturday.
Tree branches were strewn across roads and roofs peeled back from buildings when strong winds, heavy rainfall and hail lashed several suburbs around 6pm.
The fast-moving cell left 7,000 homes without power while State Emergency Services (SES) crews responded to dozens of calls for help.
"There was a flurry of activity with storm cells crossing the eastern parts of New South Wales, so around Sydney and the Central Coast, but most of our activity has been around Wollongong and Shellharbour," SES coordinator Emma Sheather said.
"We had approximately 150 calls for help in New South Wales this afternoon and approximately a third of those were for the Wollongong and Shellharbour areas."
"We've had a lot of people call up with requests for assistance for jobs relating to trees down and roofs off their properties," she said.
Business 'unsalvageable'
La Mamitas Cafe on Crown Street in the Wollongong CBD was severely damaged when the roof of the building was ripped off during the downpour.
In a post on its Facebook page, the cafe's owners said the shop was could not be salvaged.
"We are heartbroken and unfortunately due to the storm our cafe has been severely damaged," the post said.
"What we know right now is that the shop is unsalvageable.
"We will be offline for the time being while we work on our options to keep the business running."
The private hospital at Shellharbour also reportedly suffered damage to its roof in the storm.
Tsunami warning
Beaches were also closed in the region on Sunday after the Bureau of Meteorology issued a tsunami warning for Australia's east coast.
Low-lying areas of Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island were evacuated after an underwater volcano erupted off Tonga.
Residents along the NSW coast, including in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, are being asked to stay out of the water.
