Damaging winds of about 110km/h hit North Head on Tuesday night, with other areas also blasted by gusts over 100km/h. State Emergency Service assistant commissioner Paul Bailey said there were more than 900 calls for help, with north Sydney suburbs worst affected. A 37-year-old man died after being hit by an airborne gas bottle around midnight when he was walking in Harrington St in The Rocks. Ausgrid said its power network had been damaged by the intense lightning storm in Sydney, with about 50,000 properties left without electricity. Gale warnings are in place for the Eden Coast and strong wind warnings for the Macquarie Coast, Hunter Coast, Illawarra Coast and Batemans Coast.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 18, 2020 21:00 UTC