Weather News

Homes damaged, trees down as winds tear across NSW

Gusting winds have brought down trees and damaged roofs across New South Wales.

The wild afternoon culminated in Sydney in a large traffic snarl caused by a bus fire on a major road.

The State Emergency Service is working through 180 calls for assistance to secure roofs and remove trees and branches brought down by the winds.

Areas from the southern border through Sydney to the Hunter have been affected.

Before the winds began easing the driver of a double decker bus was forced to pull over on Southern Cross Drive, in eastern Sydney, when his bus caught fire.

The driver was not hurt and had no passengers but the blaze speak quickly into nearby parkland.

The rapid knock-on effect on the eastern distributor and the Harbour Tunnel meant even fire trucks could not get through.

Firefighters had to go in on foot and use a hydrant for water to put out the blaze.


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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