Australia: Severe storms hit New South Wales March 14

Event

Dangerous thunderstorms and consequent flash flooding hit New South Wales on Thursday, March 14, causing damage to thousands of homes and cars and leaving thousands of customers without power. Almost 20,000 lightning strikes and large hailstones have been recorded across the greater Sydney area (New South Wales) as of Thursday. Road transportation and train disruptions have been reported, and several flights have been delayed and diverted away from Sydney's airports.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to affect the region until early to mid-next week. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Sydney and Illawarra district (New South Wales). Forecasters also expect more severe weather along the coast up to the Northern Tablelands (New South Wales). Additional flooding and prolonged power outages could cause travel delays, business disruptions, and affect the provision of health and government services.

Advice

Individuals in New South Wales are advised to monitor local weather reports and anticipate transportation disruptions (e.g. flight delays and cancelations, limited visibility). Localized flooding is anticipated to continue. In the event of flooding, keep in mind that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult.