SYDNEY - At least 23 flights in and out of Australia’s Sydney Airport were cancelled on Christmas Day following heavy rain and flash flooding the day before, local media reported on Dec 25.

By 7am on Dec 25 (5am Singapore time), the arrivals and departures board on Sydney Airport’s website showed 23 flights had been cancelled for the day.

Sydney Airport confirmed there were no operational issues at the airport on Dec 25.

But the disruptions were likely a knock-on effect from delays and cancellations on Dec 24 caused by heavy rain and thunderstorms, local news website News.com.au said.

The cancellations on Dec 25 included seven Virgin flights, six Qantas, and three from low-cost carrier Jetstar, as well as some operated by small regional airlines, reported Australian news channel Sky News.

Virgin Australia confirmed the cancellations were due to the adverse weather in and around Sydney over the past 24 hours, the report said.

On Dec 24, the New South Wales State Emergency Service carried out 20 flood rescues across Sydney and responded to reports of 30 homes being inundated in the city’s southern suburb of Pagewood, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported. XINHUA