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Sydney has been submerged by the heaviest November rains it has seen in decades, causing flash floods, traffic chaos and power cuts.
Heavy rains fell throughout Wednesday, with the city receiving its average monthly rain in two hours.
According to officials, dozens of vehicles crashed in stormy conditions, with winds of up to 90 km / h (55 mph).
At least two deaths have been attributed to the storm.
A 14-year-old boy died Wednesday morning in a car accident in Thornleigh, north of Sydney.
A state emergency services volunteer also died while he was on duty and two policemen were injured after being hit by a tree trying to help motorists from Sydney, announced the authorities.
Images posted online showed trees felled and roads, houses and stations flooded.
The weather has disrupted commuters in Australia's largest city and many transportation services have been canceled or delayed, including 130 flights to the international airport.
A spokeswoman for Sydney Airport said she was only forced to operate one runway after two others were shut down due to the storm.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said it was the wettest day in November for the region since 1984.
"The intensity of this rain was phenomenal – 91mm fell in 90 minutes," said forecaster Rob Taggart at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
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Reuters
Sydney had a rainy month in two hours, say meteorologists
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EPA
Board workers try to empty a drain
The storm affected mainly the coastal regions of New South Wales (NSW), but many drought-affected inland areas were reportedly missed.
Ausgrid, the country 's largest power grid, said the storm had cut electricity to more than 8,000 customers in the Sydney area.
Wednesday night, more than 3,250 homes and businesses were still without electricity.
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The authorities urged people to avoid traveling as far as possible, as the two main phases of the rain fell during the hours of travel.
"We can not stress enough that motorists should never try to cross floodwaters or cross flooded roads," said NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy on Wednesday.
Floods are not the only extreme weather conditions in Australia.
In Queensland, further north, thousands of people were evacuated as an unprecedented heat wave invaded the area, causing destructive bush fires and dust storms.
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