Torrents of rain, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches since last week, have pounded parts of Australia as severe storms continue to unleash widespread flooding.

The storm left Sydney’s public transport on its knees and roads inundated as more than 85 millimetres of rain fell in some parts of the city.

Torrential rain brought 52mm of rainfall in just 90 minutes across Sydney's CBD as the east coast was battered by a fierce ...