Only the bravest dared take on the ocean yesterday as wild seas battered the Illawarra coastline.Surf Life Saving NSW has warned surfers, swimmers and rock fishers to use extreme caution as dangerous conditions and huge swells continue through the weekend.Police and Emergency Services Minister Michael Gallacher yesterday declared Kiama and Wollongong disaster areas after two weeks of severe weather."Extending the natural disaster declaration enables a range of people who suffered property damage, including councils, residents, primary producers and business owners to seek assistance," he said."State Emergency Service volunteers and all our emergency services crews have worked tirelessly over the last couple of weeks answering hundreds of calls for assistance and have done an outstanding job."SES crews were yesterday on flood rescue standby as heavy rain continued to fall across the Illawarra.A number of roads were closed and detours put in place as the east coast low continued to bear down on the region.Wollongong City Council closed Harry Graham Dr at Mt Keira until Monday as parts of the roadway are unsafe.The Illawarra Hwy at Albion Park remained closed yesterday with traffic diverted via Tongarra Rd and the Princes Hwy.Flooding also closed both lanes of Old Port Rd at Port Kembla, at the Christy Rd intersection.About 9.30am yesterday, a bus attempting to negotiate the roadway became stuck in the floodwaters.Lady Wakehurst Dr near Otford was also closed in both directions but later re-opened.Police were kept busy by a series of minor car accidents and warned drivers to "just slow down" in the wet conditions.More showers are expected to fall over the weekend and police are urging motorists to take extreme caution. For help dealing with flooding or storms, call the SES on 132 500.