Sydney Storm: Woman injured after Bondi shopping mall roof collapses

Tornadoes, very destructive winds, large hailstones and very heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely.

These are heading north, and could strike Sydney City and the Sydney Harbour Bridge by 11.35am.

Avoid using the phone during the storm.

The Sydney suburb of Kurnell was declared a natural disaster zone following a tornado which bought winds of over 200km/h and huge hailstones.

Homes and infrastructure in and around Kurnell were damaged and 800 homes left without power.

Two people required treatment – one for shock and one for a head wound – in the hardest-hit suburb of Kurnell, an ambulance official said.

Australia’s biggest city Sydney was smashed by a tornado-like storm today, with hail as big as golf balls and winds gusting at 200kph causing havoc.

Here are some photos of the wild weather hitting the city.

A spokeswoman for Sydney International Airport said the airport had not closed but a handful of flights were diverted to different airports.

There are warnings of more storms to come in the next few hours.

Australian Financial Review reporter Jamie Freed is at Sydney Airport, where her flight to Los Angeles was been delayed indefinitely.

Westfield at Bondi Junction has been evacuated after its roof partially collapsed in heavy rains that fell across Sydney and NSW, bringing a tornado through one town.

“A very unsafe thunderstorm” is expected to hit Sydney this morning.

The weather bureau said that at 11:45am, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Kiama, Shellharbour, waters off Dee Why Beach and the north-west parts of the Wollondilly Shire.

Mr Webb said there would be destructive winds in Sydney throughout the day with temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius for the city and 28C for the west.

The SES has received more than 417 requests for help with 31 volunteer team working in the Kurnell and Illawarra areas with reports of damage to infrastructure, power lines, trees and roofs.

Virgin Australia is one of the many airlines experiencing delays.

THE strong winds hit Kurnell in Sydney’s south just after 10.30am on Wednesday, Bureau of Meteorology told AAP.

“The ceiling inside the building has collapsed in”.