Torrential rain has caused flash flooding in Sydney with emergency services launching 19 rescue operations to help people trapped inside their cars.
Trains were also cancelled between the city and Bankstown during peak hour with rail tracks underwater, although delayed services have now resumed.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Sydney, along with parts of the Hunter and Central Tablelands, with more than 51mm of rainfall recorded in just 30 minutes at Camden Airport, in Sydney’s south-west.
A NSW state emergency services spokesperson said rescues were launched at Warwick Farm, Merrylands, Guildford and Auburn. Children were among those rescued with no reports of injury so far.
“There were a lot of people caught out in that sudden downfall. [It] caught a few people unaware with the fast-rising water, which is a result of that heavy rainfall we have seen in the west and northern parts of Sydney,” the spokesperson said.
Gabrielle Woodhouse of the Bureau of Meteorology said “intensive flash flooding” was caused by a deluge of rain in a very short period.
Sydney rain today is bound to cause floods. I was terrified to drive through this today but managed 😭 pic.twitter.com/jN5AqXqF7K
— Fatima (@iamnotluvless) January 30, 2023
“We have also seen some pretty hefty rainfalls. Campbelltown got 41.6mm in an hour. Parramatta got 34mm in half an hour. Sydney Observatory Hill got 50.4mm in an hour,” Woodhouse said.
“Since 9am this morning, there have been some significant falls and the highest has been at Camden Airport, where we are now up to 86mm of rain.”
Trains between Sydney and Bankstown were cancelled shortly after 5pm due to flooding.
Sydney Trains told commuters to “delay travel if possible or consider using other transport”. A subsequent update after 6pm said: “trains may be less frequent & trips may take longer than usual with some stops and platforms changing at short notice”.
The SES is urging people not to drive into flash flooding and will watch the weather pattern closely as it moves to the central coast.
“The thing with flash flooding is it happens very quickly but it tends to go away fairly quickly too. As fast as it comes up,” the spokesperson said.
Sydney pulling an Auckland.
— Ymania Brown-Gabriel (@ymania) January 30, 2023
Please stop raining in the cities, but go rain where our farmers are begging you for this precious sky tears! Please. 💔❤️🌺 pic.twitter.com/XuoE6ZBD9R
“Unfortunately if people drive into that water before it dries and goes away, they get stuck and they need help.”
Woodhouse said rainfall would likely ease overnight in Sydney, although showers are still expected on Tuesday.
“For Sydney, we will start to see an easing trend later this evening but tomorrow we are still looking at the chance of a shower or two and maybe even a thunderstorm, but it will a little less [intense] than we saw today,” Woodhouse said.
