54,000 homes blacked out by NSW storms

December 15, 2018

(Translation appears in Arabic section)

Severe thunderstorms are pounding NSW's east coast with destructive winds, heavy rainfall and large hailstones causing blackouts for thousands of homes.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned multiple cells were converging on Sydney late on Saturday afternoon, and a particularly "dangerous thunderstorm" was encroaching on Newcastle.

The storms will cause heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, destructive winds and giant hailstones over the next several hours.

Endeavour Energy is working to restore power to around 54,000 homes and businesses in Sydney's north west.