Surfer is pulled from the water near a storm drain at a popular Sydney beach in a critical condition
- The man in his 40s was saved at Collaroy Beach on Sydney’s northern beaches
- He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital in a ‘critical’ condition on Monday
- Heavy rain and howling winds batter the New South Wales south coast
- Sydney and the Blue Mountains are also being lashed by wild weather
A surfer is in a critical condition after being rescued from water near a storm drain at a popular Sydney beach.
Paramedics performed CPR on the man at Collaroy Beach, on the northern beaches, at about midday on Monday.
The man, in his 40s, was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.
It comes as heavy rain and howling winds batter the New South Wales south coast, while Sydney and the Blue Mountains are also being lashed by bad weather.
Heavy rain and howling winds batter the New South Wales south coast, while Sydney and the Blue Mountains are also being lashed by bad weather. Pictured: A car in Canberra submerged in rising floodwaters
The State Emergency Service received 1600 calls for help across NSW over the weekend as torrential rain and winds downed trees, damaged roofs and flooded roads.
The Manly fast ferries were cancelled on Monday morning due to large swells in the harbour, while train services on the south coast line were briefly out.
Damaging winds with gusts more than 90km/h have been recorded along the Sydney and Illawarra coast and will move up the NSW coast throughout Monday.
A severe weather warning remains in place for a large stretch of the NSW coast.
The SES issued three evacuation orders late on Sunday after up to 200mm of rain hit several south coast towns in the previous 24 hours and up to 300mm in isolated areas.
The SES ordered hundreds of residents in Moruya, Sussex Inlet and Nowra suburbs including Terara, East Nowra, Worrigee and North Nowra to move to higher ground. The Shoalhaven River will peak on Monday at about 4.1 metres – a lower level than originally feared.
Low-lying areas of Terara Village, Ferry Lane, Lyrebird Drive Moss Street, Hyam Street, Terara Road, Bolong Road and Burrier Road may nevertheless experience flooding.
Cars were caught in rising waters in Canberra on Sunday (pictured). The SES has told residents in Queanbeyan in the Australian capital’s eastern fringe the surging flood waters should not be considered a ‘tourist attraction’
Minor flooding has occurred along the St Georges Basin at Sussex Inlet and Island Point while 23 homes remain cut off at Broughton Vale near Berry.
By Monday morning, flooding at the Moruya River was minor and SES Commissioner Carlene York said the Moruya CBD evacuation order would soon be lifted.
Some 40 flood rescues have been required in NSW to date.
About 2000 Endeavour Energy customers in NSW remained without power on Monday afternoon, with storms creating 270 electrical hazards from fallen trees and branches.
‘Localised flooding on parts of the south coast are hampering crews from accessing damaged parts of the network in some areas,’ the company said in a statement.