Thousands of Sydney residents return home to assess damage as flood waters recede

A home is inundated by floodwaters, following heavy rains and severe flooding in the McGraths Hill suburb of Sydney, Australia, July 6, 2022. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Clear skies in Sydney on Friday brought relief to Australia's largest city after nearly a week of downpours, with thousands of residents returning home to take stock of flood damage while authorities ramped up relief efforts.

Flooding continued, though, in Sydney's west and some regions north of the city, even as an intense low-pressure system tapered off across Australia's east coast, with water still getting dumped into rivers from heavy rains that began last weekend.