article_snippet.sent: a quarter of a million Australian homes and businesses have no power after a "once in a decade" storm battered Sydney and nearby areas.
article_snippet.sent: About 4,500 people have been isolated by flood waters as "the roads are cut off
article_snippet.sent: and we won't be able to reach About 4,500 people for a few days," Michael Langley, spokesman for the New South Wales State Emergency Service said.
article_snippet.sent: The emergency services have been slammed with 13,000 calls for help due to flooding and have carried out 144 rescue tasks.
article_snippet.sent: The flooding prompted school and college closures and disruptions to public transportation.
article_snippet.sent: Transport NSW, which provides public transportation throughout the New South Wales area, issued a warning that many public services across the region have been disrupted because of the weather.
article_snippet.sent: many public services across the region have been disrupted because of the weather also posted a video on many public services across the region have been disrupted because of the weather Facebook page showing CCTV footage of a flood waters rising in a train station.
highlights_snippet.sent: Quarter million people without power in Sydney and nearby areas .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: The flooding is affecting public transportation services, residential and coastal areas .