Australia's fire-ravaged east coast is being lashed by heavy storms that have caused flash flooding and travel disruptions. And Sydney has endured its wettest four days in 30 years, with 16.3 inches falling in that period, per the Bureau of Meteorology.
The big picture: Much of the state of New South Wales has been crippled by drought. Now, flooding has seen authorities order residents in low-lying areas of Sydney to evacuate. Tens of thousands of people were without power across the state. NSW Maritime said several boats sank amid "turbulent conditions at sea," The Guardian reports. Flooding has also been reported in the nearby state of Queensland.
How wet in #Sydney? Preliminary information indicates that over the past 4 days 391.6 mm of #rain fell - the wettest since 414.2mm fell from 2-5 Feb in 1990.
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 9, 2020
Other recent notable events were 452.8 mm from 5-8 August 1986 and 421.8 mm from 6-9 Nov 1984.#sydneystorm pic.twitter.com/KQJWzjw10p
Ok. May not get our deposit back on that sign.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) February 9, 2020
We are loving the rain - but please stay safe during this wild weather. #nswrfs https://t.co/y3BW6G0ryh
If heading out in these conditions, please navigate with extra caution on the waterways. Excessive rain, flooding,...
Posted by NSW Maritime on Sunday, February 9, 2020
Our crews are working to repair more than 2000 hazards like fallen powerlines. 77000 customers are without power across Sydney, Central Coast & Newcastle.Crews will work through the night to get the power back on. Thank you for being patient in these trying conditions pic.twitter.com/33J26THBsc
— Ausgrid (@Ausgrid) February 9, 2020
Paramedics attended hundreds of jobs over the weekend due to severe flooding throughout the state. We teamed up with all emergency crews including the SES to provide the safest possible outcome. A huge shoutout to all the crews that worked in the tough conditions. #NSWambulance pic.twitter.com/yo6rAjPjzZ
— NSW Ambulance (@NSWAmbulance) February 10, 2020
From Fires to Floods, Welcome to Australia...!!!#SydneyStorm #AustraliaOnFire #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/jOow22LXHN
— Qutaiba Mehmood (@qutaiba_mehmood) February 8, 2020
Public transport is in disarray and commuters are being urged to think twice about travelling on the state’s roads after wild weather tore up parts of NSW. Check the @dailytelegraph blog for rolling coverage of #sydneyweather this morning. #nswfloods https://t.co/b4lYOhYSsT
— Georgia Clark (@GeorgiaBClark) February 9, 2020
There used to be a road here somewhere. #SydneyStorm #NSWFloods #northernbeaches @smh @abcnews pic.twitter.com/fIuqO2V8GC
— Anton Blanchard (@antonblanchard) February 9, 2020
Flashback: In photos: Australia endures floods, dust storms and brown rain as fires rage
