The NSW State Emergency Service has issued dozens of flood evacuation orders and warnings in response to torrential rain hitting the state.
Conditions are expected to deteriorate over the next 24 hours, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warning that the east coast low will continue to develop off the coast.
Areas from Batemans Bay on the South Coast, to Newcastle, north of Sydney, are expected to be impacted.
Where are the evacuation orders?
The evacuation orders are coming in thick and fast from the state SES. Here are the evacuation orders up until 3:30pm on Sunday:
- North Richmond East
- Low-Lying parts of Freemans Reach
- Parts of Ebenezer
- Pitt Town Bottoms
- Parts of Cattai
- Cornwallis and the eastern part of Richmond Lowlands
- Parts of Pitt Town
- Low-lying areas of Agnes Banks
- Residents and businesses within Gronos Point
- Residents and businesses below Plough and Harrow Dam
- Residents and businesses within parts of Pleasure Point
- Residents and businesses within parts of Wallacia
- Parts of Camden and Ellis Lane
- Low-lying parts of Woronora
- Parts of Chipping Norton
- Parts of Georges Hall
- Parts of Lansvale
- Parts of Moorebank
- Parts of Warwick Farm
For a full list of details, head to ABC Emergency or the NSW SES.
What is the forecast?
The east coast low is expected to deliver more heavy rain in the next day or so.
"For the Sydney area, we can expect more heavy rain today, particularly out towards the Blue Mountains and the Western Sydney area over the Hawkesbury-Nepean complex," meteorologist Jane Golding said.
"And we can expect more heavy rainfall to affect the Central Coast and other parts of the Hunter district today."
Ms Golding also said parts of NSW could experience storms.
"We will also see thunderstorms develop," she said.
"We are also expecting to see an increase in the wind. So, that means trees down. We have already seen some damage from winds. Trees down, power lines down."
What is an east coast low?
Basically, it's a powerful storm offshore.
The BOM says they happen several times a year off Southern Queensland, NSW, eastern Victoria and sometimes Tasmania.
They are most common in the autumn and winter and are one of the most dangerous weather systems because they can form quickly over a 12 to 24-hour period.
How bad is the flooding?
NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke says the state faces a range of dangers.
"We are now facing dangers on multiple fronts," she said.
"Flash flooding, riverine flooding and coastal erosion.
"So, if you live anywhere between Newcastle and Batemans Bay, please don't be caught unaware by the current weather situation.
"This is a life-threatening emergency situation. If you know your local community is prone to flooding, please be prepared to evacuate and at short notice."
