02-04-2025
Bondi lifeguard calls for 'common sense' as beaches battered and homes evacuated
Sydney residents have been forced to evacuate their homes after they were inundated by ocean water. The dramatic incident was caused by a two-metre-high king tide combined with surging storm swells pounding Sydney's eastern, northern and southern suburbs.
Bondi Beach's famous Icebergs pool and gym have been damaged by the wild weather, and residents at Dolls Point, a small suburb north of Cronulla in the city's south, were forced to leave their homes. The impact of the waves lifted up pavements and broke railings at a nearby beach.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) told Yahoo News it began receiving calls around midnight to assist residents at around 20 properties in Dolls Point after they sustained flood damage from the extreme weather event. SES volunteers worked with fire crews to relocate residents, and then sandbagged properties to reduce damage to homes.
'It was quite a large high tide that combined with the large surf that brought it over the wall,' SES spokesperson Andrew Edmunds said. 'There was 30 to 50 centimetres of water over the floor in some properties, so it was up towards the power points.'
As the tide has gone down, many residents have returned to their homes, but affected homeowners are urged to seek advice from electricians to ensure their properties are safe.
Photos shared to social media from Bronte Beach in Sydney's east show the force of the storm. A red wheelie bin is pictured severely dented and a lifeguard tower completely surrounded by high water.
Many beachgoers also appear to be undertaking risky behaviour, venturing close to the shoreline to snap pictures of the ocean.
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A post shared by Harrison Reid (@harrisonsreid)
Today, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned people in Sydney that 'powerful surf conditions' are expected to be hazardous for popular beach activities including surfing, swimming and rock fishing.
Surf lifesaving NSW warned hundreds of beaches will likely be closed across the state.
"As NSW beaches continue to be hammered by strong surf and wild weather, volunteer surf lifesavers and lifeguards are issuing a timely reminder that when you visit the beach and find it closed, do not enter the water and take unnecessary risks," it said in a statement.
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The warning comes after a Bondi lifesaver issued a warning for anyone visiting affected suburbs to use common sense after video showed walkers on popular coastal walks being hit by surging waves.
'Today was a day where common sense was not that common. Take notice of the beach closed signage and closed off coastal walks,' Bondi lifeguard Harrison Reid wrote in a message to his 145,000 Instagram followers.
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