Parts of Sydney have been ordered to evacuate with many other parts of the city on high alert after the NSW storm continued.
People living Gronos Point in the city’s north-west and Picton CBD in the south west were told to evacuate early this morning per the Sydney Morning Herald.
Some parts of Sackville have already flooded, with affected residents ordered to evacuate also per the ABC.
Those living in the lower-lying areas of Bonnet Bay and Woronora in Southern Sydney have been given evacuation instructions too.
In an extremely sad development out of Penrith where the alert level is currently “low”, a man’s body was found in the water.
“About 7.45am today (Saturday 6 April 2024), emergency services were called to King Street at Penrith after a member of the public located a man’s body in water near a reserve,” NSW Police said in a statement per the SMH.
A cause of death has not yet been confirmed and the body remains unidentified.
On Friday, the SES issued a warning to the entire state as the NSW storm raged.
Many across the state have been asked to avoid leaving their homes unless their trips are 100 per cent “necessary” as the state braces for heavy rain and possible flooding.
NSW SES Commissioner Carleen York as well as NSW Transport have asked folks to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary trips as driving is far too dangerous in this weather.
“I’m asking people that if it’s not a necessary trip to put it off to another day,” York said.
Meanwhile the NSW State Emergency Service has warned coastal communities from Sydney to Goulburn to stay indoors as well.
In the last 24 hours, more than 550 people have called the SES for help, with seven flood rescues conducted since Monday.
SES issued the warning via social media. (Credit: X / SES NSW)
According to Guardian Australia, Sydney has faced its highest daily rainfall in two years, recording 111mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am Friday.
It’s looking like Sydney will pass its average total rainfall for April before the weekend which is pretty alarming and means that flash flooding is likely to occur.
“We’ll see the heaviest rain falling overnight, probably from midnight to around 7am to 8am,” Weatherzone meteorologist Angus Konta said.
At the time of writing, 92 flights have been cancelled or delayed at Sydney Airport and the train network is experiencing widespread delays as a result of the NSW storm.
Tragically, the storms have already claimed a life in Queensland after the body of a man was found by his ute near Logan.
A wildlife sanctuary in Byron Bay had to evacuate because of the torrential rain.
“Due to the amount of water dumped into the park, we have relocated our animals and the hospital [has been] relocated to a higher position,” the Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary said.
The good news is that the SES has said that the storm is moving and will eventually ease.
“If we go back to those northern river floods, it didn’t move as forecast,” Carlene York, the NSW SES commissioner, said.
“It stayed there, it kept dumping the rain and that’s obviously had the big impact.”
The rain is expected to gradually move overnight to the centre on NSW’s south coast, before easing throughout Saturday.
Keep an eye on the SES website and X feed for warnings and safety instructions.
