Thousands evacuated as SES fields 3900 calls for assistance – as it happened

Evacuation orders are in place across Sydney as heavy rainfall continues. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

9.30am BST

The day that was, Monday 4 July

We will leave the live blog there for today.

Here’s what made the news today:

• The rain across Sydney is still falling heavily, and the 74 evacuation orders and 62 warnings, covering 32,000 people, will likely remain in place overnight, according to the NSW SES.
• An operation has begun to tow the cargo ship, MV Portland Bay, to safer waters, after the ship began to drift towards the shore south of Sydney when it lost power.
• The NSW SES has received more than 3900 requests for assistance and has had 85 flood rescues as of earlier this afternoon.
• Australia will send more than $100m in new aid to Ukraine including military equipment, as well as levelling sanctions on 16 new Russian officials, after prime minister Anthony Albanese’s unannounced trip to Kyiv.
• There were at least 26 reported Covid-19 deaths on Monday.
• The Aboriginal flag will fly permanently on Melbourne’s West Gate bridge.
• WorkSafe Victoria has charged St Basil’s homes for the aged over Covid-19 breaches, where 45 people died from Covid-19.
• French ambassador Jean-Pierre Thébault says Australia is back on France’s list of key partners in the Indo-Pacific, as the relationship has been repaired after the change of government in Australia.

Until tomorrow, I hope you can stay dry and out of the wet weather if you’re in one of the affected areas.

Updated at 9.36am BST

9.26am BST

#WATCH // The @Lifesaverhelo remains on alert to respond to a stranded ship off the Illawarra coast.

It's a tricky situation, with tower cranes on the ship interfering with any winching attempts. pic.twitter.com/Qp9hbG22PM

— Surf Life Saving NSW (@slsnsw) July 4, 2022