Close to 25,000 Lost Power in South-East Queensland and Victoria Following Powerful Weather Systems
Around 25,000 homes in south-east Queensland were left lacking electricity on Monday's dawn after severe thunderstorms passed over the area, bringing wind gusts hitting 109km/h.
Large Ice Stones and Broad Damage
Homeowners reported large ice chunks measuring up to 7cm in certain regions. Weather authorities confirmed that various areas across Queensland had been hit with large hailstones.
The recent thunderstorm has heavily impacted our infrastructure!
Response teams were attempting to repair power throughout the damaged zones, with approximately seventy teams activated to manage the extensive power failures.
Victoria's Storm Challenges
At the same time, approximately one thousand households in Victoria also faced electricity disruptions after Melbourne experienced its heaviest rainfall in over 500 days.
State Emergency Services responded to nearly 600 emergency reports across the region, mainly for building damage but also for collapsed vegetation and inundation.
Hardest Hit Locations
- Werribee region - experienced considerable destruction
- Hoppers Crossing area - multiple rescue reports
- Wyndham region - over 175 calls for assistance
During the peak on Sunday, in excess of 28,000 energy customers in the state were lacking electricity.
Meteorological Predictions
Moist weather were expected to linger along large portions of the state's eastern regions this week as a low-pressure trough continued to attract humidity against the coastal areas.
Tuesday was forecast to be the most rainy day, with continued storm activity predicted across multiple regions of both states.
Health Warning
Public health experts cautioned that there was an increased chance of epidemic thunderstorm asthma across the countryside regions, particularly given the current weather patterns.
This caution comes after past events where comparable situations led to major medical consequences in the region.
