More than 9000 calls for assistance had been taken by the State Emergency Service by late on Sunday. Image taken on Sunday morning shows widespread erosion at Narrabeen. Credit:UNSW Water Research Laboratory The SES also carried out 270 rescues in flooded areas. The SES was still to work through about 3000 of the 9000 call-outs. On Monday morning, power had been restored to about 18,000 homes and businesses, with about 8000 properties still without power in Sydney's north and on the northern beaches.

With a king tide late on Sunday evening, residents in low-lying parts of Sydney's south-west were ordered to evacuate as the Georges River was expected to overflow. Emergency services survey the damage to homes on Collaroy Plateau and prepare sandbags for the rising King tides. Credit:Getty Images Residents in parts of Chipping Norton, Milperra, Lansvale, Carramar, Picnic Point and Old Toongabbie were being evacuated, as were residents in the low-lying parts of Woronora, near Sutherland. Other residents were being told to be ready to leave if the Woronora dam overflowed. Waves as high as 13 metres were measured off the coast causing significant erosion. Beachfront houses at Collaroy lost about five metres of their front yards in the storms, according to the University of NSW's Water Research Laboratory. Photographs show severe erosion in front of the Collaroy Beach Services Club. Senior research associate Mitchell Harley said such extreme erosion has not been seen in the Narrabeen-Collaroy area since 1974. Home foundations built right on the shore were exposed and sea walls put in place in the 1960s and 1970s emerged as the waves stripped the beach of sand, he said.

Evacuation centres were set up for flooded residents in Mona Vale and North Cromer, the SES said. Late on Sunday the numbers of people evacuated was climbing, including residents from the North Narrabeen Caravan Park and students at the nearby Academy of Sport. On the north coast, residents in parts of Lismore had also been told to evacuate. Beginning in south-east Queensland on Friday night, the storm ripped through Brisbane and the Gold Coast before moving down the coast towards Sydney. "Nowhere is spared in this weather event," SES spokesman Phil Campbell said. The SES advised residents of the affected suburbs to collect medicines, pack three days' supply of clothing, and turn off the power and gas before leaving homes. NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Mark Morrow advised commuters to plan their trip to work on Monday with the weather causing havoc on the roads and public transport.

"Our focus will be on the Hawkesbury and Nepean system and whether or not we will lose access to some road networks in the western part out towards Penrith," he said. "So for our folks who work in the city they may need to think about how they get to work tomorrow or if they even go to work tomorrow." Authorities expressed dismay at motorists ignoring warnings and continuing to drive on roads covered by water after a woman was charged with drink driving after allegedly ignoring two roadblocks and driving into floodwaters at Albion Park in Wollongong. The 33-year-old driver was rescued by emergency services after her car became trapped at 5am. She was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where she allegedly returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.076 and was charged. Loading

Emergency services rescued almost 80 motorists who ignored warnings about floodwaters. Weather conditions are expected to ease on Monday, with a mostly cloudy but dry day although surf conditions will remain dangerous. Dry conditions are forecast for most of the week.