NSW storms, Terrey Hills: Man, 66 dies after car leaves wet Mona Vale Rd and hits tree

Police are investigating whether wet conditions contributed to the death of a man in a road accident on Sydney northern beaches on Monday morning

A man, 66, died after a car struck a tree on the median strip on Mona Vale Rd at Terrey Hills, near the Flower Power Garden Centre, on Monday morning. Picture: 7News

A man has died after a car left a wet road and struck a tree on Sydney’s northern beaches on Monday morning.

The 66-year-old Pymble man, who died at the scene, was the only occupant of the dark-coloured Mercedes sedan that crashed at about 8.50am at Terrey Hills.

It was the second serious crash involving cars hitting trees on that stretch of road in an 32-hour period.

NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers from the Ingleside and Scotland Island brigades helped homeowners of a house on Scotland Island badly damaged by a fallen tree. Picture: Ingleside RFS

Police said the car was travelling in the city-bound lanes on Mona Vale Rd when it left the road and hit the tree on the median strip, near the intersection with Cooyong Rd.

The driver is yet to be formally identified. A crime scene has been set up and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has started.

Early on Sunday morning emergency services were called to Mona Vale at Terrey Hills after a car split in two after crashing into a tree.

State Emergency Service volunteers were busy across the weekend attending to emergency calls for assistance after large trees were brought down and damaged homes across the northern beaches by the heavy rain and winds. Picture: SES Warringah/Pittwater Unit

The driver, 20, from Ashfield, who was the only occupant, was lucky to survive the high-speed crash which left the front end of the Subaru sedan 30m down the road from the crash scene.

Witnesses told police the car was airborne before it struck the tree at about 1.10am.

A NSW Ambulance spokesman the driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The latest fatal crash comes as the northern beaches was inundated with 65mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday morning.

State Emergency Service volunteers were busy across the weekend attending to emergency calls for assistance after large trees were brought down and damaged homes across the northern beaches by the heavy rain and winds. Picture: SES Warringah/Pittwater Unit

Authorities have kept Wakehurst Parkway closed, between the Academy of Sport and Oxford Falls Road from North Narrabeen to Oxford Falls, due to flooding.

Oxford Falls Road is still closed between Wakehurst Parkway and Aroona Road at Oxford Falls.

Across the weekend local State Emergency Service volunteers, from the Warringah/Pitt and Manly units, as well as NSW Rural Fire Service brigades, were called out to dozens of locations to assist property owners with fallen trees.

An excavator working to reinforce a temporary sand berm in front of homes on Collaroy/South Narrabeen Beach where part of a permanent sea wall is being built. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

On Scotland Island a house was damaged after a large tree fell on the roof of a house.

Two excavators were called out on Sunday morning to move sand on to a temporary sand berm that had been built to protect private properties from high seas along Collaroy/South Narrabeen beaches.

The berm was created while contractors are building a section of the permanent sea wall planned to prevent erosion of property along the troubled strip of beach.