NSW State Emergency crews have responded to 62 calls for help in the Illawarra overnight following strong winds up to 100 km/h in locations such as Port Kembla and Bellambi.
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And additional personnel have been put on Saturday with a forecast of more damaging winds until mid afternoon.
Vanessa Hutchinson from NSW SES said there were 362 requests for assistance across the state including 197 in Sydney.
"For us the event started at 10am yesterday when winds started to come through," she said.
"The majority of calls were to trees down, branches down and roof damage.
"There are no reports of significant damage to public infrastructure."
Ms Hutchinson with a severe weather warning for Saturday of damaging winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with gusts in excess of 90km/h the State Emergency Service is advising people to:
- Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
- Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
- Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
- Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
- Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
- Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
- For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.
"Our teams are presently out and about and we have additional staffing in the communication centre to take calls from the public," Ms Hutchinson said.
"We are positioned to be able to help in any way the community needs.
"The damaging winds today are expected to ease off this afternoon.
"I think the worst period will be between 9am to 2pm and then it should start to ease off."
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