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Sunday, February 09, 2020, 14:49
Australia mega-fire doused as torrential rain brings relief
By Bloomberg
Sunday, February 09, 2020, 14:49 By Bloomberg

In this file photo taken on Jan 17, 2020, ground staff work under the rain at Sydney domestic airport. (SAEED KHAN / AFP)

A wildfire that burned out an area eight times the size of Manhattan has been put out as torrential downpours across Australia’s east coast brought relief to firefighters who have been battling blazes for several months.

The number of fires still burning across New South Wales has reduced to 37, according to the Rural Fire Service, from more than 130 at the start of the year, after parts of the state were hit with several hundred millimeters of rain in recent days.

READ MORE: Australia firefighters focus on floods after rain lessens blazes

While the downpours will be welcomed by farmers dealing with prolonged drought conditions, they brought with them the risk of flooding across many coastal areas. 

Sydney was forecast to receive around 100 millimeters of rain Sunday, with the deluge expected to continue into Monday.

ALSO READ: Australia celebrates as heavy rains dampen huge bushfires

The New South Wales emergency service issued a severe weather warning, with risks ranging from damaging winds to abnormally high tides and dangerous surf. About 19,000 homes in the greater Sydney area were without power after fallen trees took down powerlines, power company Endeavour Energy said in a Twitter update.

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