Sydney floods ‘far from over’ as 50,000 face evacuation

A man is rescued from his car by State Emergency Service workers in Windsor (Getty Images)

Floods in Sydney have worsened with 50,000 people having been told to evacuate or warned they may have to leave their homes soon.

Emergency response teams made 100 rescues on Monday night as torrential rain continues to hit Australia's east coast.

Residents of New South Wales state, including those in Sydney - Australia’s largest city - and its suburbs have been on alert since the weekend with the number estimated to need evacuation having risen from 30,000.

Dominic Perrottet, New South Wales premier, said: “This event is far from over. Please don't be complacent, wherever you are. Please be careful when you're driving on our roads. There is still substantial risk for flash flooding across our state.”

Days of heavy rain have caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks, bringing a fourth flood emergency in 16 months. Parts of Sydney - a city of 5 million - had been hit by more than 20cm of rain in 24 hours.

Severe weather warnings of heavy rain remained in place across Sydney's eastern suburbs on Tuesday. The warnings also extended north of Sydney along the coast and into the Hunter Valley.

Meteorologist Jonathan How added: “The good news is that by tomorrow afternoon, it is looking to be mostly dry but, of course, we are reminding people that these floodwaters will remain very high well after the rain has stopped.”