Sydney wild weather: Bodies found at Leppington, Bowral and Cotter River
POLICE have called off the search for a swimmer believed to be missing in dangerous swells off Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
NSW
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POLICE have called off the search for a swimmer believed to be missing in dangerous swells off Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
A witness said he saw the man standing on rocks at the southern end of the beach.
“He just jumped in when the waves were going out and when the waves came in again he went under and couldn’t keep up,” he said.
“Then he just disappeared.”
The Westpac Rescue helicopter and two surf lifesavers on a jet ski joined in the search.
The death toll from the weekend’s storm stands at three after two bodies were found in cars in separate incidents in southwest Sydney and the Southern Highlands and another died after powerful waters flipped his two-tonne ute in Canberra.
Police have named the victim of the incident, near Bowral, in the state’s Southern Highlands, as Robert Pollard, aged 65.
Emergency services descended on Mittagong Creek yesterday evening after a car was spotted in floodwaters with its hazard lights flashing.
Mr Pollard was well known at Mittagong RSL.
Emergency services were called to Leppington yesterday evening after reports a white ute entering a causeway had been washed away.
The vehicle had been swept about 60m down the road and became lodged in some trees.
Police and State Emergency Service workers searched the flood-ravaged area into the night without success, before finding the man’s body inside his vehicle early today.
Police divers retrieved the man’s body at about 11.30am on Monday and efforts were underway to winch his ute from Rileys Creek.
Meanwhile the body of a 37-year-old man was found in the Cotter River near Canberra. It is believed he was swept away in floodwaters as the east coast low moves south.
In a statement, ACT Police said the fast moving, rising water made rescue efforts impossible.
The major storm which battered the east coast and brought record downpours wreaked havoc with more than a thousand people were evacuated from their homes last night.
Authorities remain concerned about a number of swollen river, particularly the Nepean and the Hawkesbury in Western Sydney.
There is likely to be further damage with another king tide predicted tonight.
The Bureau of Meteorology today issued another severe weather warning with the next king tide to peak about 9pm tonight and a “main window of threat” between 6pm and midnight.
It will follow “the biggest king tide of the year” which joined forces with the east coast low-pressure system and created huge seas which swept away the yards of multimillion-dollar beachfront homes on Collaroy and Narrabeen beaches.
Meteorologist Phil Perkins told News Corp said condition would be similar “fairly similar”.
“Our normal highest astronomical tide is an increase in sea levels around 1.2m and last night we saw 1.3m and this evening will be fairly similar, around 1.3m above normal sea,” Mr Perkins said.
Authorities remain concerned about a number of swollen rivers, particularly the Nepean and the Hawkesbury close to Sydney.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has offered his condolences to the families of three people who have died in floods.
He also reiterated emergency services warnings that no one should try to cross floods for any reason.
The State Government has vowed to fast-track natural disaster assistance across the worst-affected areas.
Describing the storm as “monstrous” and “ferocious”, Premier Mike Baird said assessments were under way to determine which local government areas would be declared disaster areas.
People living and working in those council areas will be eligible for disaster relief packages, including interest-free loans for small businesses and grants for affected councils.
“There has been huge damage caused, so we want to do everything we can to support families, communities and businesses,” Mr Baird said.
Two bodies were found in cars in separate incidents in southwest Sydney and the Southern Highlands and another died after powerful waters flipped his two-tonne ute in Canberra.
Police have named the victim of the incident, near Bowral, in the state’s Southern Highlands, as Robert Pollard, aged 65.
Emergency services descended on Mittagong Creek yesterday evening after a car was spotted in floodwaters with its hazard lights flashing.
Mr Pollard was well known at Mittagong RSL.
Emergency services were called to Leppington yesterday evening after reports a white ute entering a causeway had been washed away.
The vehicle had been swept about 60m down the road and became lodged in some trees.
Police and State Emergency Service workers searched the flood-ravaged area into the night without success, before finding the man’s body inside his vehicle early today.
Police divers retrieved the man’s body at about 11.30am on Monday and efforts were underway to winch his ute from Rileys Creek.
Meanwhile the body of a 37-year-old man was found in the Cotter River near Canberra. It is believed he was swept away in floodwaters as the east coast low moves south.
In a statement, ACT Police said the fast moving, rising water made rescue efforts impossible.
The major storm which battered the east coast and brought record downpours wreaked havoc with more than a thousand people were evacuated from their homes yesterday.
Authorities remain concerned about a number of swollen river, particularly the Nepean and the Hawkesbury in Western Sydney.
GALLERY:Stormageddon strikes NSW
At least 1000 homes and business remain without power, mostly in Sydney’s north. An Ausgrid spokesman said repairs were still ongoing, with technicians restoring power to another 1500 customers today following the monster storms.
GOVERNMENT PLEDGES ASSISTANCE
The State Government has vowed to fast-track natural disaster assistance across the worst-affected areas.
Describing the storm as “monstrous” and “ferocious”, Premier Mike Baird said assessments were under way to determine which local government areas would be declared disaster areas.
People living and working in those council areas will be eligible for disaster relief packages, including interest-free loans for small businesses and grants for affected councils.
“There has been huge damage caused, so we want to do everything we can to support families, communities and businesses,” Mr Baird said.
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