Australia storm kills three people, with more missing

hree people are dead and more are missing after massive storms flooded rivers, uprooted trees and tore into beaches along Australia's east coast.

Storms continue to batter southern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Erosion at Sydney's Collaroy Beach has forced the evacuation of multi-million dollar homes, which are now in danger of collapsing.

In Tasmania, where major flood warnings have been issued for seven rivers, two elderly people are feared drowned.

A man was reportedly swept into the Ouse River from his own backyard on Monday, while a woman was missing after floodwaters inundated her house in the state's north-west.

Rescuers are also searching for a man who was washed off rocks near Sydney's Bondi Beach.

On Monday morning, a man's body was found in the Cotter River near Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. Police said the 37-year-old was caught in floodwaters at a river crossing.

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Image captionWaves up to 8m (26ft) high hit Sydney's Collaroy Beach during a king, or spring, tide on Sunday, washing away up to 15m of waterfront land

Police divers also retrieved the bodies of two men whose cars were washed off New South Wales roads in separate incidents.

A 65-year-old man was caught inside his vehicle while trying to cross floodwaters at Bowral, while another man was killed after his utility vehicle was washed off the road on Sydney's south-west fringe.

Northern Tasmania facing its worst flooding in decades on Monday, with parts of Launceston, Latrobe and Railton all underwater.

The Insurance Council of Australia said that insurance companies have so far received 11,150 claims across Queensland and New South Wales totalling an estimated A$38m (£19m, $28m).

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Image captionA swimming pool attached to a mansion at Collaroy has collapsed on the beach and residents have been evacuated from waterside mansions

Image captionCollaroy, located in Sydney's north, is considered a prestigious suburb, but the beach is an erosion hotspot

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Image captionA high tide is expected to hit Collaroy Beach again on Monday and some residents have been evacuated

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Image captionEnormous waves battered Australia's east coast, causing damage at many beaches

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Image captionParts of Lismore in northern New South Wales were evacuated after the Wilson River flooded

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Image captionThousands have been left without power and a large number of main roads in Sydney and elsewhere remained closed on Monday

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Image captionSydney suburbs received between 70-90mm of rain on Sunday, while the Nepean River catchment area received 526mm of rain across the weekend

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Image captionWeekend sporting fixtures saw players enduring miserable conditions