SYDNEY: Huge waves battered Australia’s east coast on Saturday, sweeping water into properties and engulfing Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Danger warnings were issued for most of the coast in New South Wales as strong winds whipped up damaging waves.

A video of a monster swell, which reached up to five metres (16 feet) high, showed the tide rushing up to the doors of homes, while onlookers ran from the surging water at Avoca Beach, about 90 minutes drive north of Sydney.

Peter Evans from the NSW State Emergency Service said that crews were attending to several homes in the area where water had entered but conditions were easing.

“We’re hoping that the worst has passed and we don’t end up with anything tonight or tomorrow like we’ve had this morning and last night,” Evans said.

Clear weather was helping the workers but after months of heavy rain there was still a lot of water on the ground, he added.

“The sea conditions are still very, very rough.” Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach disappeared under the deluge as white water crashed over walkways and spilled onto a road.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning for the weekend of hazardous surf and strong winds from the north coast of New South Wales down to the Victoria border.

It comes after weeks of extreme weather along Australia’s east, fuelled by La Nina weather patterns and climate change. Record rainfall and deadly flooding have killed at least 22 people since early February.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2022