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| Australia storm death toll rises | Australia storm death toll rises |
| (4 days later) | |
| At least nine people have been killed by heavy storms that are continuing to lash eastern Australia, officials say. | At least nine people have been killed by heavy storms that are continuing to lash eastern Australia, officials say. |
| Gale-force winds and rising flood waters have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in New South Wales. | Gale-force winds and rising flood waters have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in New South Wales. |
| More than 130,000 homes remain without electricity around Newcastle and in Sydney. | More than 130,000 homes remain without electricity around Newcastle and in Sydney. |
| A severe weather warning remains in place, with winds gusting up to 90km/h (60mph), Australian weather officials said. | A severe weather warning remains in place, with winds gusting up to 90km/h (60mph), Australian weather officials said. |
| The death toll rose to nine on Sunday after police found the body of a man who had been swept into a storm water drain near Newcastle. | The death toll rose to nine on Sunday after police found the body of a man who had been swept into a storm water drain near Newcastle. |
| I went to the main street... and it was like a screen from a zombie movie: cars were in the middle of the street, buildings had caved in and there was no light and no-one else around Nick, Newcastle, NSW | I went to the main street... and it was like a screen from a zombie movie: cars were in the middle of the street, buildings had caved in and there was no light and no-one else around Nick, Newcastle, NSW |
| Among the dead were five members from the same family, including three children. | Among the dead were five members from the same family, including three children. |
| The family's car was swept away after part of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed on Friday - when the storms began. | The family's car was swept away after part of the Old Pacific Highway collapsed on Friday - when the storms began. |
| Police said earlier they had found the bodies of a couple in their 50s whose car was washed off a bridge in the Hunter Valley. | Police said earlier they had found the bodies of a couple in their 50s whose car was washed off a bridge in the Hunter Valley. |
| A 29-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on to his vehicle near Newcastle. | A 29-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on to his vehicle near Newcastle. |
| Local residents said that the storms continued to wreak havoc. | Local residents said that the storms continued to wreak havoc. |
| "Things were literally flying past the house," Nick from Newcastle told the BBC News website. | "Things were literally flying past the house," Nick from Newcastle told the BBC News website. |
| "I went to the main street at about 0400am and it was like a screen from a zombie movie: cars were in the middle of the street, buildings had caved in and there was no light and no-one else around," he said. | "I went to the main street at about 0400am and it was like a screen from a zombie movie: cars were in the middle of the street, buildings had caved in and there was no light and no-one else around," he said. |
| On Sunday, some 5,000 residents in the Hunter Valley were ordered to leave their homes amid fears that the Hunter River would breach its levee within hours. | On Sunday, some 5,000 residents in the Hunter Valley were ordered to leave their homes amid fears that the Hunter River would breach its levee within hours. |
| In the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend, where 200mm of rain fell in a few hours, state premier Morris Iemma warned that the risk was not yet over. | In the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend, where 200mm of rain fell in a few hours, state premier Morris Iemma warned that the risk was not yet over. |
| Your pictures: Beached freighter | Your pictures: Beached freighter |
| On Friday, massive seas pushed the Pasha Bulker coal freighter onto a sand bank off Newcastle. | On Friday, massive seas pushed the Pasha Bulker coal freighter onto a sand bank off Newcastle. |
| Salvage crews hope to refloat the ship once conditions ease. | Salvage crews hope to refloat the ship once conditions ease. |
| The tanker's 21 crewmen, all thought to be from the Philippines, were winched to safety and were reported to be in good health. | |