Sydney bakes in hottest day in three years

Surf lifesavers use boats as they patrol near beachgoers swimming on a hot summer day at Sydney's Bondi Beach on December 9, 2023. - AFP

SYDNEY (AFP): A heatwave scorched Australia's eastern coast and sent temperatures in Sydney to a three-year high Saturday as firefighters battled runaway bushfires.

Many people crowded Sydney's beaches or sought relief in the shade. Authorities warned the most vulnerable, including the elderly and very young, to shelter in cool buildings.