Sydney swelters with its hottest day since 1939

iStock/Thinkstock(SYDNEY) — Sydney experienced its hottest day in nearly 80 years on Sunday.

Temperatures in Penrith, west of Sydney, hit a high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.3 degrees Celsius), the highest seen since 1939.

A fire weather warning was issued for the Greater Hunter and Greater Sydney regions. The Rural Fire Service issued a total fire ban across Sydney.

Thousands of people were left without power in Sydney due to the high temperatures affecting electricity, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Three-thousand properties in Sydney were left without power, the report said.

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