Sydney’s northern beaches copped an absolute battering overnight with residents evacuated left with no control over the terrible waves sweeping away their yards and homes. 10-15 metres of waterfront land washed away at Collaroy with seven homes and a unit block evacuated. 150 millimetres of rain was dumped in Sydney over 24 hours.
Million dollar beachfront homes were destroyed after 8 metre high waves crashed the coast which lead to major erosion. The savage storm was one of the worst Sydney has ever seen. 30,000 homes in the city and the Central Coast were left without power. This also affected public transport in chaos with train and ferry cancellations leaving passengers waiting for replacement buses.
One resident, Zaza Silk, told Sunrise this morning, “Within three hours, we had a garden that was just totally destroyed – gone”. She explained that she lost up to 15 metres of coastline after the 125km/h winds and 150 millimetres of rain absolutely battered her property ‘like an earthquake’ and her ‘worst nightmare.’
One Collaroy resident, Matt Kemp, posted footage of the carnage and wrote, “Pretty crazy. No rain for ages and then whoosh, have a bit of that.”
Parts of the Collaroy Beach Club was also swept into the ocean leaving thanks to the monster storm.
Heavy surf has smashed the Collaroy Surf Club, causing thousands of dollars damage to building & skis @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/5t9aZ8sFGI
— Ashlee Mullany (@AshleeMullany) June 5, 2016
The Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club was decimated after being thrashed by the intense waves, losing its front wall into the water.
Coogee surf club gym this morning… Heartbroken at the damage #saveourclub #SydneyStorm @9NewsAUS @smh pic.twitter.com/UNr11OmC8j
— Justin Richardson (@justinricho_) June 5, 2016
THe rain has eased over NSW but the SES has had about 9000 requests, with 3000 of those still unattended to.
