(MENAFN) More than 27,500 homes across New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous east coast state, have lost electricity following widespread damage caused by intense storms, powerful winds, and rare snowfall, media reported Saturday evening.

According to media, electricity provider Essential Energy warned that affected residents should brace for outages to extend through the night. While repair crews are actively working to restore service “where it is safe to do so,” hazardous weather conditions are hampering efforts.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) issued 28 storm alerts on Saturday, warning of continued moderate to heavy rainfall across multiple regions, including the Coffs Coast, Mid North Coast, Upper Hunter, and New England. The agency also forecasted minor flooding and raised the possibility of more significant inundation.

“Heavy and persistent rainfall could cause roads to become flooded and impassable,” said Nicole Hogan, assistant commissioner of NSW SES.

Adding to the chaos, media noted that snowfall in the Northern Tablelands reached levels never previously recorded in the area. Reports indicated that as many as 200 vehicles became trapped in the deep snow.

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