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Torrential Rain And Floods Hits NSW While WA Bushfires Continue

Australia's severe weather conditions varied across the country, with a cyclone also affecting Western Australia.

Over the weekend parts of Sydney were in danger of potential life-threatening flash flooding as rain kept bucketing down for a third day in a row in downpours not seen since 1998.

Rainfall in some parts of the state approached half the annual average, but the falls were welcomed after the state saw its driest year on record in 2019, at 55% below average.

The state’s Bureau of Meteorology said there was potential for heavy “rainfall and life-threatening flash-flooding,” and coast erosion, although little danger of river flooding as water levels have been low due to a persistent drought.

NSW Floods was trending on Twitter on Sunday night with people in disbelief that the flash floods the bushfires crisis

In Queensland, meteorologists also warned of flash and riverine flooding on Sunday, following heavy falls overnight.

Meanwhile severe bushfires burned through parts of Western Australia on Sunday, with other areas of the state dealing with the aftermath of powerful cyclone Damien, while the east coast was facing potential life-threatening flash flooding.

After months of destructive bushfires that have razed millions of hectares of land, Australia has copped more wild weather that has alternately brought heavy downpours, hail storms, gusty winds and hot and dry air.

About a dozen fires were burning in Western Australia (WA) on Sunday, with severe fire danger expected in several districts, according to fire services and the state’s Bureau ofMeteorology.

“Very hot over the Eucla (in WA) with a fresh and gusty southerly change extending from the west during the morning and afternoon,” the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website.

Daytime temperatures in the Eucla district were forecast at up to 42 Celsius.

The state’s upper parts were battling on Sunday the aftermath of tropical cyclone Damien that made a landfall on Saturday afternoon, bringing winds of up to 200 kilometres per hour.

No immediate damages were reported and the cyclone was expected to weaken as it moved inland, but winds were seen to blow at more than 100 kilometres per hour.

Reporting by Lidia Kelly. Carly Williams contributed to this report.

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