3 Dead As Storms Batter Eastern Australia

Three people have died after storms brought heavy rain and wind gusts in excess of 135 kilometers per hour to eastern Australia.



Pictures uploaded to social media showed toppled trees and walls, crushed cars, flooded roads, and waves lashing the Sydney coast.



Local media reported that dozens of flights had been delayed at local airports while a cruise ship was stuck at sea outside Sydney Harbor, which had been closed.



Mike Baird - the premier of New South Wales - told the ABC that three elderly residents of Dungog, north of Sydney, had died when their homes were washed off their footings.



"It's a tragedy and it's hard to imagine that they were just going about their lives a short time ago," he said.



"Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends."



Since early morning, emergency crews have been battling "cyclonic" conditions.



State Emergency Services said that "unprecedented" wind gusts of up to 135kph had lashed the Hunter Region of New South Wales - north of Sydney - leaving dozens of homes without roofs, thousands of trees down, and around 200,000 properties without power.



The ABC reported that dozens of people had been rescued after being trapped in buildings, on roofs and in cars.



New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said the area would be hit by "the toughest and worst weather" up until midnight.



Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people remained without power as the weather continued to batter the surrounding area. - Ankara