( CNN ) About a quarter of a million Australian homes and businesses have no power after a `` once in a decade '' storm battered Sydney and nearby areas . About 4,500 people have been isolated by flood waters as `` the roads are cut off and we wo n't be able to reach them for a few days , '' Michael Langley , spokesman for the New South Wales State Emergency Service said . Devastating winds lashed cars and homes . The storm system also brought destructive flooding that washed away houses and brought down trees onto streets and buildings . The emergency services have been slammed with 13,000 calls for help due to flooding and have carried out 144 rescue tasks . The powerful storm has already claimed four lives , according to New South Wales Police . The dangerous conditions have prompted the police department to issue pleas on social media for people to not attempt driving through flooded areas . The heavy flooding prompted school and college closures and disruptions to public transportation . The adverse weather was caused by an intense low pressure system , said Australia 's Bureau of Meteorology . The strongest wind gusts peaked at 135 km/h ( 85 mph ) and it was estimated that about 200 millimeters ( 7.87 inches ) of rainfall fell in the area on Tuesday . 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 . It also posted a video on its Facebook page showing CCTV footage of a flood waters rising in a train station . Samantha Mancuso was driving in her neighborhood of Liverpool , a suburb in Sydney on Wednesday , when she noticed gallons of water pouring into the streets . She said Joe Broad Reserve , a nearby park , was flooded . The severe weather caused a local creek to break its banks and now the flooding is seeping into the neighborhood . Water levels at the park reached 2.6 meters ( 8.5 feet ) earlier in the morning , but have slightly receded , she said .
Quarter million people without power in Sydney and nearby areas . A large drainage system brought damaging crops and flooding to thousands of Australia . The flooding is affecting public transport infrastructure , residential and coastal areas .