In Pictures

Photos: Heavy rains and floods as thousands flee homes in Sydney

Australia’s largest city braces for possibly worst flooding in 18 months as thousands have been told to evacuate.

People look at a flooded area due to torrential rain in the Camden suburb — A flooded area in the Camden suburb of Sydney. [Muhammad Farooq/AFP]

By News Agencies

More than 30,000 residents of Sydney and its surrounding areas have been told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes, as Australia’s largest city braces for major flooding.

Parts of the city of five million people are facing a fourth flooding emergency in a year and a half after torrential rain since Friday caused dams to overflow and waterways to break their banks.

“The latest information we have is that there’s a very good chance that the flooding will be worse than any of the other three floods that those areas had in the last 18 months,” Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt told Australian Broadcasting Corp on Monday.

The current flooding might affect areas that managed to stay dry during the previous floods, Watt added.

New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said 32,000 people were affected by evacuation orders and warnings.

An amusement ride is seen inundated by floodwaters in Camden — Torrential rain and damaging winds hit Australia's New South Wales state, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents. [Mick Tsikas/EPA]

An emergency crew rescues two ponies from a flooded area in Milperra, in the Sydney metropolitan area. [NSW State Emergency Service/Handout via Reuters]

This photos shows a flooded sports venue in Camden — A flooded sports venue in Camden. More than 32,000 residents have been told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes. [Mark Baker/AP Photo]

A car is seen abandoned in floodwaters in Lansvale, in western Sydney. [Mick Tsikas/EPA]

Debris is seen as the Windsor Bridge is submerged under floodwater from the swollen Hawkesbury River in Windsor — The Windsor Bridge submerged under floodwater from the swollen Hawkesbury River in Windsor, northwest of Sydney. [Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via Reuters]

A general view shows a flooded area due to torrential rain in the Camden suburb — Jane Golding, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology manager, said some areas between Newcastle, north of Sydney, and Wollongong, south of Sydney had received more than a metre (39 inches) of rain in the previous 24 hours. Some areas received more than 1.5 metres (59 inches). [Muhammad Farooq/AFP]

People stand next to a flooded petrol station — State Emergency Services Commissioner Carlene York said strong winds had toppled trees, damaging rooves and blocking roads. [Muhammad Farooq/AFP]

A man looks at a flooded residential area due to torrential rain in the Camden suburb — Authorities have advised against unnecessary travel. [Muhammad Farooq/AFP]