One woman is dead and two are seriously injured after a freak storm swept through Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Emergency services crews are at multiple sites across the area from Dee Why to Forestville where trees, roofs and power poles have been ripped out.
They were initially called out about 3:45pm after reports of widespread destruction caused by a severe weather event.
NSW Police Superintendent Patrick Sharkey said as a result, a large tree struck power lines in the vicinity of the Narrabeen Surf Club on Ocean Street.
"Which has also fallen on three females," he said.
"One lady is deceased and two other ladies have been conveyed to hospital who have serious injuries."
The women were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital.
There are currently more than 300 call-outs for assistance being dealt why by emergency crews including State Emergency Service (SES) and Rural Fire Service (RFS).
NSW Police said they were also liaising with energy provider Ausgrid to help restore electricity to thousands without power.
The RFS described the wild winds that struck the area about 3:30pm as a "mini-cyclone".
They also said they had ripped off the roof at a shopping centre in Forestville and caused the partial collapse of a building in Curl Curl.
The area is still considered hazardous.
Thunderstorms are forecast to impact Sydney City, Sydney Airport, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Gosford, Mona Vale and waters off Bondi Beach later this evening.
Locals on social media likened the weather event to a "tornado", saying it lasted no more than five to 10 minutes.
Steven Smith from Dee Why wrote on Twitter that it was unbelievable.
"Massive squally winds, heavy rain and hail," he said.
"Seemed like it was a cyclone. Never seen anything like it."
Luke Hopewell, who lives near the Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club where the fatality occurred, was at home when the rain and wind picked up speed.
He told the ABC he heard a loud bang which "sounded like trees coming down".
"I headed down outside our building that had lost power … we rounded the corner onto Ocean street in Narrabeen, there is a local surf lifesaving club that has a small park and a lot of pine trees," he said.
"One of them had broken at its base, these are 10 to 15-metre trees, and come down onto the park and across the road."
Police are warning people that lights are out on Pittwater Road between North Narrabeen and Warringah Road.
Motorists are advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stay at home.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTEyLTE5L29uZS1kZWFkLXR3by1pbmp1cmVkLWFmdGVyLXN5ZG5leS1zdG9ybS1ub3J0aGVybi1iZWFjaGVzLzEwMDcxMjYwNtIBAA?oc=5
2021-12-19 09:14:27Z
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