Sydney, Aug 20 (NationPress) Millions of residents in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) were alerted on Wednesday to brace for potential flooding as a severe wet weather system swept across the country's eastern coastline.

On the same day, NSW authorities issued heavy rainfall warnings for communities extending nearly 1,000 km along the coastline, including Sydney.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) indicated that this significant rain event, influenced by three distinct weather systems, is predicted to deliver isolated rainfall totals reaching up to 75 millimeters on Wednesday night, followed by up to 120 millimeters on Thursday and an additional 60 millimeters on Friday.

During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, NSW State Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz warned that certain areas, which have already faced severe rainfall in recent months, could encounter flooding overnight.

She emphasized that the lingering water from past heavy rainfall events increases the likelihood of flooding and cautioned residents against becoming complacent.

"This year we have witnessed significant weather events, major flooding, and extensive damage. We recognize that the community is fatigued, and so are the volunteers," Platz stated.

Regions north of Sydney experienced record flooding in May, resulting in five fatalities.

Steve Bernasconi, a hazard preparedness manager at BoM, mentioned that while this event is not expected to generate enough rain to trigger a severe weather warning, it could lead to isolated major flooding due to certain water catchments already being at capacity, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Earlier on August 2, more than 27,500 homes in eastern NSW were left without power due to the damage caused by heavy rain, strong winds, and snowfall, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

ABC quoted local power provider Essential Energy, advising affected customers to prepare for ongoing power outages overnight, as their crews worked to restore power "where it is safe to do so," although severe weather would result in delays.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) stated on its website that moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the Coffs Coast, Mid North Coast, Upper Hunter, and New England regions on Saturday afternoon, and it issued 28 warnings regarding storms, predicting minor flooding alongside potential moderate flooding.

Nicole Hogan, Assistant Commissioner of NSW SES, noted that heavy and persistent rainfall might render roads flooded and impassable.