Thousands evacuate from 'dangerous' Sydney floods

Roads disappeared into the waters and mobile homes stood in knee-high water

Rapidly rising rivers swamped swathes of rain-lashed Sydney, forcing thousands to flee 'dangerous' floods

Rapidly rising rivers swamped swathes of rain-lashed Sydney on Monday, forcing thousands to flee "dangerous" floods as the city's largest dam spilled torrents of water.

On the third day of torrential east coast rains, emergency workers said they had rescued more than 140 people since the stormy weather began. 

Many of those rescued had been trapped in their cars trying to cross flood-swept roads or were unable to leave homes surrounded by rising waters.

Higher temperatures mean the atmosphere holds more moisture, unleashing more rain.

The army sent 100 troops to help operations in the storm-battered state.

"It is particularly dangerous out there."

Roads disappeared into the waters and mobile homes stood in knee-high water, at least one toppled on its side, television images showed.

The huge concrete dam lies on the western outskirts of Sydney and provides most of the city's drinking water.

The wild weather whipped up drama off the Sydney coast, as the 150-metre Portland Bay cargo ship with 21 crew lost power in heavy seas.

Plans for a helicopter rescue were dropped because of the conditions.

Australia's east coast has suffered repeated flooding in the past 18 months.

The current weather system over Sydney is being fed by warm, wet air from near the equator, said Kimberley Reid, an atmospheric scientist at Monash University. 

"However, our research of the March 2021 Sydney floods found that similar events over Sydney were likely to occur 80 percent more often by the end of the 21st century."

"There is no doubt these events are becoming more common," he said.

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Originally published as Thousands evacuate from 'dangerous' Sydney floods