By Amy Corderoy
SYDNEYSIDERS are preparing for more extreme weather after 33,000 people were left without power and three people were injured when two trains were hit by falling trees last night.
Gales of up to 140km/h brought down trees, power lines and traffic lights, caused commuter chaos and delayed domestic arrivals at Sydney Airport.
Passengers injured ... a tree causes huge damage to a train at Medlow Bath, in the Blue Mountains, last night. Three people needed to be treated at the scene.Credit: Rachel Murdolo
At Medlow Bath in the Blue Mountains, paramedics were called to treat three people when a train reportedly carrying 20 passengers had its front carriage crushed by a falling tree.
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The three were assessed at the scene and one with minor head injuries was taken to Blue Mountains Hospital, an ambulance spokeswoman said. Paramedics initially had trouble reaching the site because fallen trees were blocking the roads, and the fire service had to be called in to clear debris, she said.
The CityRail train was heading west and was close to the Medlow Bath station when the tree fell across the carriage, a NSW police spokeswoman said. She said the uninjured passengers were transported on buses for the remainder of their journey.
In a separate incident, an eastbound XPT was also struck by a tree as it was travelling between Blackheath and Medlow Bath but no one was injured.
A RailCorp spokeswoman, Marianne McCabe, said a repair crew was assessing the CityRail train. All trains had been suspended between Lawson and Lithgow because fallen trees had blocked the tracks.
The weather bureau recorded winds of between 60km/h and 110km/h across NSW yesterday. The strongest recorded were at Mount Bryce on the central tablelands, with gusts peaking at 140km/h.
A bureau forecaster, Chris Webb, said more strong winds were expected this afternoon and evening, with winds reaching their worst early tomorrow.
The State Emergency Service received more than 970 calls, most of which were from the Blue Mountains, southern highlands and some Western Sydney suburbs, a spokesman, Dave Rose, said. The service had also been called to assist the NSW fire service and police rescue when a nursing home in Leura sustained roof damage.
Endeavour Energy said about 33,000 customers were likely to be without power overnight after the winds caused widespread damage to its network.