Thousands Remain Without Power as NSW Battles Storm Aftermath and Extreme Fire Risk
Sydney, NSW – Thousands of residents in Western Sydney are still without power on Thursday as NSW continues to grapple with the fallout from severe storms and braces for extreme fire danger. Power outages are widespread, impacting communities as clean-up efforts begin following Wednesday’s destructive weather.
The storms, which lashed Sydney and parts of regional NSW, prompted 2,260 calls for assistance to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) in the past 24 hours, with the majority originating from metropolitan sydney.While rail services have returned to a normal timetable for Thursday’s peak hour,the SES responded to 350 storm-related calls in Blacktown alone,and 170 in Orange. residents near Neverite, west of Dubbo, reported roofs being torn from homes and sheds, with clean-up expected to take several days.
Compounding the challenges, an extreme fire risk has been declared for several regions, including Greater Sydney, the Central Ranges and Greater Hunter, triggering a total fire ban. This includes Moree, Narrabri, the Warrumbungles, Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange.
Rooty Hill High School in Sydney is among the schools closed on Thursday due to the ongoing conditions. Authorities are urging residents to exercise extreme caution and stay informed about fire risks and power outage updates.