'Leave NOW': Wollongong residents are given just two hours to evacuate as rising floodwaters threaten homes
- Wollongong residents were issued a 'prepare to leave warning' Monday morning
- Heavy rain, strong winds continue to threaten NSW coast and inland southern
- NSW SES warned roads will be cut off if floodwaters reach above 1.5metres
Residents of Wollongong, south of Sydney, are being warned to evacuate as rising floodwaters from torrential rain threaten to cut off roads.
The NSW State Emergency Service issued a 'prepare to leave' warning late Monday morning, giving residents in the coastal city and nearby low-lying areas just two hours to pack up and go.
'As a result of rising floodwaters residents within the areas listed below should prepare to evacuate within the next 2 hours,' The SES said.
A warning is in place for areas near Lake Illawarra including Jettys By The Lake Lifestyle Village, Oaklands Lifestyle Village, South Pacific Park Village, Oasis Resort and Caravan Park.
The SES warned roads access will be cut if floodwaters reach above 1.5m.
A car is seen under floodwater at Marrickville in Sydney on Sunday after the massive downpour over the weekend
The Sydney basin has seen the heaviest rainfall in about 20 years in the past few days as communities were hammered by an East Coast Low that also brought strong winds. Pictured: Flooded roads in Narrabeen in Sydney's Northern Beaches
Meanwhile, evacuations are underway in Moorebank, Chipping Norton and Milperra.
A severe weather warning was issued on Sunday for the entire coast of NSW, and remains in place as heavy rains, strong winds and dangerous surf conditions predicted for Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of 'life-threatening flash flooding' in the Hunter region, the Central Coast, greater Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.
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The Sydney basin was pummelled over the weekend with the heaviest rainfall in up to two decades as Harbour City communities fell prey to an east coast low that also brought strong winds.
Sydney, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains were soaked after receiving between 200mm and 400mm of rain from 9am Friday to 5pm Sunday.
A man leaves his car after it failed to start while sitting in floodwater in Sydney on Sunday
Marrickville, in Sydney's inner-west, was inundated as parts of NSW were hit with as much as 400mm of rain since Friday
Four people were hospitalised on Sunday afternoon after a tree fell on their car in the Sydney CBD, and a 16-year-old boy was treated for broken ribs after being trapped between debris in the Hunter's Allyn River.
A car was also reportedly swept away in Galston on Sunday afternoon, but police have no evidence anyone was inside the vehicle.
There was relief on Monday when floodwaters along major rivers appeared to peak overnight. However moderate flooding has persisted at North Richmond and Windsor along the Hawkesbury River, as well as Menangle on the Nepean.
Water from the Georges River was also inundating Milperra and Liverpool in western Sydney early on Monday, the NSW State Emergency Service said.
River levels at Milperra are now higher than during the 1988 flood and major flooding is impacting other areas such as Warwick Farm and Chipping Norton.
Residents near the Narrabeen Lagoon in northern Sydney evacuated overnight after warnings of significant flooding.
The NSW SES has responded to about 10,000 calls for help and carried out multiple rescues of people trapped by rising rivers and floodwaters.
'People need to be reminded - if you can't see the road, don't drive across it,' NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott told the Seven Network.
The weather has also caused major disruptions to Sydney's public transport system and road networks, with commuters told to check timetables and travel apps before setting out on Monday morning.
The wet weather has caused major disruptions to Sydney's public transport system - after rainfall caused heavy erosion under railway tracks at Artarmon on the lower north shore. Pictured: Wentworthville on Monday morning
