At least six people died in Australia as towering waves battered Sydney and other areas along the country’s east coast over the Easter holiday weekend, according to police reports.
A low pressure system initiated powerful surf conditions starting Friday, with waves exceeding 24 feet recorded off the coast of Brisbane in Queensland.
Australia’s meteorological agency issued a hazardous surf warning for a lengthy stretch of coastline from Queensland to New South Wales, including Sydney, Byron Bay, and the Gold Coast. The agency cautioned that conditions could be dangerous for activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming.
By the time the hazardous surf warning was lifted on Sunday, five individuals had drowned in New South Wales, including in Sydney, and one in Victoria. Additionally, two people were reported missing.
On Sunday morning, a man fishing in Wattamolla, approximately 20 miles south of Sydney, died after being swept into the sea. A 14-year-old boy who was with him was rescued and hospitalized in stable condition.
This man was the fifth person to drown in New South Wales since Friday, with all five fatalities occurring among men believed to be fishing or walking on rocks along the coast when they fell or were swept into the ocean.
Another man remained missing after being swept into the ocean while walking with friends on rocks at Little Bay Beach in Sydney on Friday.
According to Royal Life Saving Australia, a nonprofit organization focused on water safety, there were 128 drownings in New South Wales in 2024, with approximately half occurring along coastlines.
In Victoria, a woman died on Friday morning after being washed off rocks in San Remo, a town on the state’s southern coast. Another man and woman were also swept away; the woman managed to return to shore, while the man remains missing.