A woman tragically lost her life when a falling tree struck her car south of Sydney during strong winds and heavy rainfall on the east coast of Australia. The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. local time, leading to the woman’s death at the scene. A male passenger in the front seat sustained minor injuries, while two rear-seat passengers escaped unharmed.
Severe thunderstorms hit New South Wales on Saturday, causing flash floods in northern Sydney and flight disruptions at Sydney Airport. The State Emergency Service received numerous calls for help and rescued four individuals from floodwaters. Superintendent Matt Kirby warned of continued heavy rain in Sydney and surrounding areas until Sunday, advising against driving through floodwaters and parking near trees due to the risk of falling branches.
In Victoria, an emergency flash flooding warning was issued for coastal towns along the Great Ocean Road, prompting residents and visitors to seek immediate shelter. The storm cell brought intense rainfall, leaving thousands of homes without power and causing vehicles to be swept away by floodwaters. Authorities worked to evacuate stranded individuals from flooded holiday parks, with no reported injuries as of now.
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch reported that the state’s bushfire crisis has destroyed around 900 properties, including 260 homes. As of Thursday, 11 fires were still active, burning approximately 410,000 hectares of land across Victoria.
