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Wild Wednesday: SES volunteer dies as torrential rain lashes Sydney and surrounds

A third person has died after what’s been described as the worst storm to hit Sydney in decades.

Benedict Brook, Charlotte Willis and Rohan Smith
6 min read
November 29, 2018 - 1:33AM
Sydney Storm: NSW hit with torrential rain

A volunteer helping the State Emergency Service during Wednesday’s once-in-a-generation storm has tragically died.

The NSW SES volunteer “passed away after collapsing” while attending a job in the Illawarra.

“This is a tragic event and my deepest sympathies are with the man’s family and friends,” Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant said in a statement.

“My thoughts and prayers are also with the broader emergency services community,” he added.

Earlier, a 14-year-old boy was killed in a two-vehicle crash at Thornleigh, on Sydney’s upper north shore.

The Hornsby Advocate reports the Year 8 student was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla being driven by a 17-year-old boy. The car crashed into a Landrover Discovery and the boy died at the scene.

In a separate crash, a male driver was killed after his vehicle collided with a pole on Old Prospect Rd at South Wentworthville about 7pm.

Police said the circumstances of the crash were being investigated and several nearby roads remained closed. Motorists were urged to avoid the area.

Two police officers were also seriously injured when a tree fell on their car further south at North Ryde.

The Sydney Tower behind an intense storm on Wednesday. Picture: Steven Saphore/AAP
The Sydney Tower behind an intense storm on Wednesday. Picture: Steven Saphore/AAP

The rain that belted large parts of the state may have subsided slightly but forecasters have warned Sydneysiders not to become complacent.

The intense low pressure system that delivered Sydney’s wildest November storm came with a “second phase” as ferocious 90km/h winds teamed up with driving rain to make the commute home a misery.

“The band has drifted south but it will then come north again and as the low intensifies it will bring powerful winds and further rainfall. There will be plenty of trees coming down at the back end of the day,” Sky News Weather channel meteorologist Rob Sharpe told news.com.au.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned shortly before 5pm that a “second phase is now beginning”, bringing with it “storms and intense rain”.

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More than one month’s worth of rain fell in just two hours across Sydney this morning with authorities pleading with commuters to consider staying at home.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been expanded and is now in place for almost the entire NSW coast from Moruya north including Newcastle, Sydney the Illawarra and Armidale, and dangerous flash flooding is likely on roads.

Heavy rain hits Sydney
Heavy rain and wind hits Circular Quay as Sydney endures bad weather. Picture: Dylan Robinson
VIEW GALLERY

Faulconbridge, in the lower Blue Mountains copped a drenching, recording 200mm of rain since 9am. Fitzroy Falls in the southern highlands received 150mm.

In Sydney’s CBD, 124mm of rain has fallen since 5.30am. The November average is 67mm.

The award for the most sodden place in NSW has gone to Mosman on the north shore where 111m fell by 9am.

So much rain has fallen, Sydney has had its wettest day for three years and its wettest November day in 34 years.

Woolworths’ flagship supermarket, its historic store at Sydney’s Town Hall station, is closed due to flooding. The State Emergency Service has responded to more than 510 calls for help and rescued more than a dozen people from floodwaters.

Storm clouds move over the Illawarra south of Sydney. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP
Storm clouds move over the Illawarra south of Sydney. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP
A soggy but dedicated commuter in Balmoral. Picture: Instagram @rustythescamp
A soggy but dedicated commuter in Balmoral. Picture: Instagram @rustythescamp
This business hero in Lewisham, in Sydney’s inner west, teaming investment bank chic with barefoot necessity. Picture: Nicholas Eagar
This business hero in Lewisham, in Sydney’s inner west, teaming investment bank chic with barefoot necessity. Picture: Nicholas Eagar

‘WORSE TO COME’

NSW Police’s highway patrol chief Michael Corboy said conditions were disastrous.

“The conditions we are experiencing today are some of the worst I’ve ever seen, and I am appealing to everyone, motorists and pedestrians alike, to take care,” he said.

“Once again we are asking all road users to reconsider the need to be on the roads throughout what will be a severe rain event.”

TREES LIKELY TO COME DOWN

Sky News Weather’s Mr Sharpe told news.com.au the wild weather could come back with a vengeance.

“Due to the fact that the eastern half of Sydney has been completely drenched the ground is sodden and the soil is loose, so trees and branches will be coming down, likely bringing the number of power outages into the tens of thousands as many people will be calling the SES for help.”

Mr Sharpe said the worst winds impacted Sydney in the afternoon before shifting north to the Central Coast and Hunter coastline during the evening.

About 9am this morning, emergency services were called to a two-vehicle crash in Sydney’s north and found a male passenger had died at the scene.

The car’s other occupants, both also male, have been taken to hospital in a stable condition.

In a separate incident, two police officers were injured when a tree fell on them in North Ryde, not far from the fatality.

The second fatality was announced shortly after 6pm. NSW SES said the volunteer, who has not been identified, could not be revived after collapsing.

Scene of fatal car accident on The Esplanade at Thornleigh on Wednesday as a low pressure system lashed the region. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)
Scene of fatal car accident on The Esplanade at Thornleigh on Wednesday as a low pressure system lashed the region. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

COMMUTE DELAYS

Sydney Airport continues to suffer from delays after just one runway was able to open this morning.

It is now back to a full service, but about 50 flights have already been cancelled or delayed.

One passenger said there was chaos with “everything on lockdown, no flights in or out”.

Airport spokeswoman Cait Tynan told news.com.au that passengers should check with their airlines before they come to the airport.

Back on the ground, all light rail services had to be cancelled due to flooding and there were delays on most lines into the CBD. There were 30 minutes delays on buses going into the evening peak.

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Submerged cars in Redfern, in Sydney's inner south.
Submerged cars in Redfern, in Sydney's inner south.
A lightning map of Australia shows thousands of strikes across NSW and southern Queensland in the last 12 hours. Source: Lightningmaps.org.
A lightning map of Australia shows thousands of strikes across NSW and southern Queensland in the last 12 hours. Source: Lightningmaps.org.

Flash flooding in suburban Redfern partly submerged cars and caused Woolworths’ emergency floodgate to go up, shutting the store.

Julie, a Salvation Army worker, was caught in the flood as she parked her car and the waters suddenly rose up to a metre.

Forecasters had earlier warned heavily populated areas of NSW were set for a soaking today.

Up to 100mm was expected to fall across Sydney, the Hunter and Illawarra, the Bureau of Meteorology said — well above the monthly average. In many places, that is on track to be exceeded.

Sydney rivers including the Hawkesbury, Nepean, Cooks and Georges are all on flood watch, while the State Emergency Service is preparing to mobilise thousands of volunteers.

Wet weather in Kings Cross. Picture: Gordon McComiskie
Wet weather in Kings Cross. Picture: Gordon McComiskie

Simon Lewis, NSW Severe Weather manager for the Bureau of Meteorology, said the “one good thing” about the system was that it would pass quickly.

“It will cross the coast and then move fairly rapidly offshore,” Mr Lewis predicted.

“We’re not expecting a very long duration of heavy rain, but we are expecting to see quite intense falls sometime in the morning and persist through until the afternoon.”

Heavy rain is expected to lash NSW on Wednesday. Picture: AP / Troy Snook
Heavy rain is expected to lash NSW on Wednesday. Picture: AP / Troy Snook

QUEENSLAND BUSHFIRES

They’d like some rain up in Queensland. Catastrophic weather conditions are fuelling more than 85 bushfires across the state including one that is threatening people’s lives. Temperatures are soaring across the state with peaks more than 40C forecast for central and northern Queensland.

The BOM has warned records have fallen and more are expected to fall as the state swelters through the heatwave and bushfire crisis. North Queensland has already hit maximum temperatures with Proserpine the hottest in the state so far at 42.9C.

Jacinita Pennisi said the temperature was over 40 degrees when she was driving to work at the Proserpine swimming pool.

“We have a new water park that’s just opening and it’s had a pretty big workout in the last few days,” she said.

But the North Queensland born and bred local said it was not as hot as Monday.

Temperatures in nearby Bowen have reached 41.1C and, further south, Rockhampton has hit 41.7C.

Fierce westerly winds are sweeping inland Queensland bringing a cloud of dust and expected to impact the fire zone this afternoon creating “extremely dangerous” conditions.

The heatwave has prompted a warning from Queensland Health for people to stay hydrated as paramedics treat record numbers of patients affected by heat. Dr Sonya Bennett said the combination of a record heatwave with smoke and dust was extremely dangerous.

“Heat can be a severe health risk, particularly the young, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions,” she said.

People have been urged to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and limit outdoor or strenuous activities and to stay in a cool area if possible. Heat stress symptoms include a rash, sweating, nausea vomiting, hot dry skin and fainting.

Anyone suffering any of those symptoms should seek medical attention.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/wild-wetnesday-torrential-rain-expected-to-lash-sydney-and-surrounds/news-story/1385a57d99fde7796d39324aa1d40b5b