Clean-up begins around Sydney as super storm weakens

Australian authorities on Thursday began a massive clean-up operation in Sydney and surrounding regions after it was hit by a three-day super storm.

Cyclonic winds and non-stop rain lashed the Sydney region for three days, causing widespread flooding and damage to homes, businesses and farms and claimed four lives, Xinhua news agency reported.

Over 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Thursday. New South Wales (NSW) Premier Mike Baird declared 12 localities as disaster areas.

While the rain has largely stopped, more floods are expected on Thursday as large volumes of water make their way through catchment areas.

Three elderly people drowned in Dungog town, while another woman, 86, drowned nearby when she tried to drive her car through a flooded creek on Wednesday afternoon.

"This is unprecedented, the weather and the flooding conditions they've had at Dungog," a police official said.

NSW authorities have so far estimated the damage bill at 130 million Australian dollars ($101 million).