SYDNEY, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Over 20 people have been rescued from floodwaters after severe thunderstorms hit Australia's largest city Sydney, capital of the state of New South Wales.

The storms swept across western and central Sydney on Monday, bringing intense rainfall that caused flash flooding and disrupted roads and public transport.

Rain was heaviest in the suburb of Horsley Park -- about 35 km west of central Sydney -- which received 77.6 millimeters in one hour.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday night, Stuart Fisher from the State Emergency Service (SES) in New South Wales said that authorities had rescued 21 who became trapped in their cars in floodwaters across the city.

He said it was "frustrating" that motorists had ignored warnings about avoiding floodwaters.

Overall the SES responded to over 500 reported storm and flood-related incidents.

Thousands of homes and businesses across Sydney were left without internet service on Monday night due to a power outage at a datacenter that was caused by the storms.

TPG Telecom, one of Australia's largest internet service providers, said in a statement late on Monday night that connectivity was being gradually restored. Enditem

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