A 76-year-old man has died after being hit by a falling tree on the New South Wales Central Coast, as a violent and unexpected storm cell tore through the state on Wednesday afternoon.
Storm Chaos and Tragic Death
The fatal incident occurred around 1:20 pm on Glenworth Valley Rd, where emergency paramedics fought to save the man's life. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The sudden storm packed destructive winds and large hailstones, leaving a trail of damage across multiple regions.
Widespread Damage and Power Outages
The storm's impact was severe and far-reaching. Blacktown City Council reported a significant number of fallen trees across suburbs including Minchinbury, Huntingwood, Mount Druitt, Arndell Park, Bungarribee, Doonside, Blacktown, and Rooty Hill.
Transport networks were thrown into disarray. Sydney Trains advised commuters that several lines, including the North Shore, Western, and Blue Mountains lines, were impacted by storm-related power supply issues. The network urged people to delay travel or find alternative transport.
Power infrastructure suffered extensive damage. Ausgrid confirmed the Central Coast and Newcastle regions were among the hardest hit, with suburbs like Erina, Gosford, and Mangrove Mountain severely affected. An Ausgrid spokesperson stated that emergency crews had already restored power to more than 7,000 customers but warned that work would continue for days.
By 5:00 pm, approximately 33,000 households across Sydney and the Newcastle/Hunter Region were without electricity. Endeavour Energy reported more than 57,000 properties offline, with numbers expected to climb. In Sydney, around 4,500 homes lost power, affecting areas around Hornsby and the Northern Beaches.
Intense Weather Conditions and Further Warnings
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded extreme wind gusts, including a powerful 119 km/h at Nobby's Head around 2:12 pm and 111 km/h at Trangie shortly after midday. Damaging winds in excess of 90 km/h were forecast for Wollongong, Nowra, Canberra, Goulburn, Bowral, and Katoomba, with conditions expected to ease later Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, a separate heatwave warning has been issued from Wednesday through Saturday for the Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands, and Upper Western regions. Temperatures are predicted to soar into the mid-30s to low-40s. The Bureau of Meteorology is urging residents, especially the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and those with medical conditions, to take precautions and stay cool.
