Australia's East Coast Battered by Severe Storms, Fatalities and Flood Rescues Reported

Severe Weather Batters New South Wales Coastline

Australia's eastern coastline, particularly New South Wales (NSW), experienced a weekend of intense weather on January 17 and 18, 2026, as heavy rain and severe thunderstorms brought widespread flash flooding, evacuations, and emergency rescues. The wild weather system also claimed at least one life and caused significant property damage.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) reported responding to over 2,100 incidents across the state by Sunday morning, with approximately 1,000 SES volunteers actively involved in the operational response. Over 25 flood rescues were conducted, many in Sydney, as vehicles became submerged in inundated roadways.

Fatalities, Evacuations, and Property Damage

Tragically, a woman died on Saturday after a tree branch fell on her car on Macquarie Pass, southwest of Wollongong. In Sydney's northern beaches, residents in areas around Narrabeen Lagoon were issued emergency warnings and evacuation orders on Saturday night due to rapidly rising floodwaters. While some warnings were later downgraded, floodwaters in Narrabeen were expected to take several days to recede.

A landslide at Great Mackerel Beach, an isolated community on the northern beaches accessible only by boat, damaged numerous homes and resulted in at least one injury. Other regions, such as Goulburn in the Southern Tablelands, were hit by hailstorms.

Widespread Rainfall and Ongoing Warnings

Widespread heavy rainfall was recorded across affected areas. Parts of Sydney's northern beaches and the Central Coast received up to 200 millimetres of rain in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday morning. Notable rainfall totals included:

• Moruya: 146mm overnight Friday
• Bodalla: 136mm overnight Friday
• Ettalong: 93.5mm in one hour
• Pearl Beach: 133mm in two hours
• Terrey Hill: 179.6mm in 24 hours to 9 am Sunday
• Webbs Creek (Wisemans Ferry): 74.2mm in 2 hours
• Liverpool (Georges River): 68.0mm in 5 hours

The severe weather extended beyond NSW, with Queensland also experiencing wild conditions, including thunderstorms that dumped up to 60mm of rain and caused power outages for approximately 11,000 properties, with over 2,000 still without electricity on Sunday. Hazardous surf warnings remained in place for beaches stretching from Newcastle to Batemans Bay, as well as the Eden coast.

Outlook and Emergency Response

While conditions began to ease in Sydney on Sunday afternoon, the storm risk shifted northward, with residents in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions warned to prepare for continued heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms. NSW SES spokeswoman Emily Barton stated that clean-up efforts would continue over the next 24 to 48 hours, with further severe thunderstorms forecast for later in the week. Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant, avoid driving through floodwaters, and follow all emergency instructions.