Sydney floods affect Australia's largest city

Sydney: Hundreds of homes have been immersed in and around Australia's biggest city in a flood crisis that was affecting 50,000 individuals, authorities said July 5.

State Emergency Services Manager Ashley Sullivan said emergency response teams had rescued people trapped in cars, in roads or in flooded homes overnight in Sydney-area floods.The New South Wales state government declared a disaster overnight in 23 local government areas and activated federal government financial assistance for flood victims.

"Please be careful when you drive on our roads. There is still a significant risk of flooding across our state," Mr. Perrotte said.

Emergency Services Minister Stephen Cook praised the skills and commitment of rescue workers to prevent death or serious injury by the fourth day of the floods.

Severe weather warnings for heavy rain remained in place for Sydney's eastern suburbs on Tuesday.The most noticeably awful flooding was within the Hawkesbury-Nepean river basins in Sydney's northern and western suburbs.

"The great news is that by tomorrow evening, it'll be generally dry, but we are reminding individuals that these surge levels will stay exceptionally high after the downpours end," Mr Hawkesbury-Nepean said.