At least six people died in Australia as towering waves battered Sydney and other places along the country’s east coast over the Easter holiday weekend, police said.

A low pressure system brought powerful surf starting Friday, and waves taller than 24 feet were recorded off the coast of Brisbane in the state of Queensland on Friday, according to government data.

Australia’s meteorological agency had issued a warning for hazardous surf for a long stretch of coast from Queensland to New South Wales that includes Sydney, Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, and cautioned that conditions could be dangerous for rock fishing, boating and swimming.

By the time the hazardous surf warning was lifted Sunday, five people had died in New South Wales, including in Sydney, and another in the state of Victoria, officials said. Another two people were missing. All five deaths, between New South Wales’ south coast and northern Sydney, were of men who police believed were fishing or walking on rocks along the coast.

— The New York Times