Flash flooding hits Sydney as heavy rain lashes the city

Commuters were gridlocked in traffic for hours as a “very dangerous” thunderstorm bore down on Sydney, unleashing flash floods on Thursday that shut roads and wreaked havoc for evening travellers.

Flash flooding swept through western Sydney and the city as a slow-moving thunderstorm unleashed heavy rain, triggering almost 500 calls for assistance across the metropolitan region.

Slightly more than 100 millimetres of rain lashed Lidcombe in the three hours leading up to 8.15pm.

Commuters were stuck on the Anzac Bridge for up to two hours after rising waters closed parts of the City West Link and Parramatta Road. Raw Square at Strathfield was also closed by flash flooding.

Trains were cancelled for the night between Lidcombe and Bankstown due to flooding on the tracks at Regents Park.

The rain system described as a “very dangerous thunderstorm” by the Bureau had passed over parts of the northern beaches, the Hills district and the north-western suburbs by about 8.45pm.

A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall is in place across Sydney, parts of the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. The Bureau of Meteorology explained that the “slow-moving trough” will bring persistent showers as it moves north.

The SES has warned people in Greater Sydney to stay indoors.

The downpour was expected to ease by 11pm on Thursday, but continue to fall overnight. Forecasts suggest the rainy days will continue through the weekend and into early next week.