Flights disrupted as freak storms hit Sydney
Flights to and from Sydney have been delayed and diverted due to severe thunderstorms.
The airport remains open but when the storm hit some flights were grounded and some incoming flights were diverted to other airports.
A spokeswoman said the delays were mainly because it was unsafe for ground staff to be on the tarmac.
The worst area affected was the suburb of Kurnell on the southern headland of Botany Bay in Sydney’s south, where a tornado left a trail of destruction.
Winds of up to 213km/h ripped roofs off homes and offices, overturned cars, brought down trees and power lines and left 20,000 properties without power.
Weather experts said these were the most destructive winds ever recorded in New South Wales.
Meanwhile, wind gusts of 142 km/h were recorded at Botany Bay and Little Bay, eight miles south of Sydney’s central business district.
Hailstones the size of golfballs were reported at the beachside suburb of Cronulla.
Shoppers were evacuated from a shopping centre at Bondi after a section of the roof collapsed.
Weather experts are warning of further winds, heavy rainfall and flash floods north of Sydney, in the coastal city of Coffs Harbour and in nearby Tenterfield, Moree, Woolgoolga, Sawtell and Dorrigo.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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