Power provider Ausgrid has warned Sydneysiders that they could be without electricity for an âextendedâ period of time following Tuesdayâs severe storm.
At least 29,000 customers are without power after the five-minute storm wreaked havoc across the east coast of New South Wales, causing tree branches and power lines to collapse onto peopleâs homes.
âOur crews have safely restored power to 23,000 customers following yesterdayâs storms. Power is still out to 29,000 mostly in Sydneyâs north,â Ausgrid said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
âCustomers in the worst hit areas are being advised to prepare for another possible night without power.â
On Wednesday evening the company provided customers with an update, saying âmake alternative arrangements now as power wonât be back in time for dinnerâ.
NSW SES services were bombarded with more than 1,300 job requests on Tuesday as a result of the damaging winds and large hail that struck Sydney, Illawarra and Northern NSW.
The lightning as a result of the thunderstorms increased the number of fires blazing across the state.
The Bureau of Meteorology said winds of 104km/h at Fort Denison, 96km/h at Holsworthy and 95km/h at Sydney Harbour were experienced with the storms.
Transport services also experienced delays on Tuesday afternoon and early evening as a result of the weather.
NSW SES has advised residents to follow a few steps in order to help prevent damage to their homes with more storms forecast this weekend.
These include securing down backyard items that can blow around in the wind, getting trees and branches that overhang homes to be trimmed down, and cleaning out gutters to prevent blockages and water overflowing onto the roof.
Australians have been praying for rain as the countryâs worst bushfire season continues, but many say they werenât hoping for a gusty downpour âlike thisâ.
Blazes so far this month have killed at least four people, burnt about 2.5 million acres of farmland and bush and destroyed more than 400 homes.
The early arrival and severity of the fires in the southern hemisphere spring follows three years of drought, which has left bushland tinder-dry and been linked by experts to climate change.
Firefighters have followed the crisis across four states as extreme temperatures and high winds sparked wildfires in new areas, even as they struggle contain existing fires.
With additional reporting by Colin Packham (Reuters).