Severe storms Leave Thousands Without Power Across Queensland and Victoria
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A powerful thunderstorm system swept across southeastern Queensland and Victoria over the weekend, leaving nearly 25,000 homes without electricity and causing widespread damage. The storms, which brought wind gusts exceeding 109km/h and hailstones up to 7cm in diameter, disrupted power, halted sporting events, and prompted emergency responses across both states.
Queensland Battles Widespread Outages and Hail Damage
Southeastern Queensland bore the brunt of the severe weather on Monday morning,with nearly 25,000 households plunged into darkness. Energex, the power distributor for 1.5 million homes and businesses, reported “significant damage” to its network, including downed power lines across the greater Brisbane region. Crews worked through Sunday night, with almost 70 teams deployed to begin restoration efforts.
“This afternoon’s storm has absolutely smashed our network!” a company release stated. Authorities urged residents to stay clear of fallen wires and report them immediatly by calling 000.
The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed reports of exceptionally large hailstones. Ipswich experienced stones around 4cm in size, while Moorooka and Goonda saw hailstones reaching 5cm. Pullenvale reported stones between 5cm and 6cm, and St Lucia was hit with hailstones as large as 7cm. beyond the hail, strong winds also impacted the region, with gusts of 95km/h recorded in Amberley and Archerfield, and a peak of 109km/h in gayndah.
The inclement weather even impacted sporting events. Lightning forced a halt to play during Sunday’s Pacific Cup men’s rugby league match between Samoa and tonga in Brisbane, prompting spectators to seek shelter.
Damp conditions are expected to persist throughout the week as a low-pressure trough continues to draw moisture inland, with Tuesday forecast to be the wettest day.
Victoria Grapples with Flooding, Damage, and power Disruptions
Victoria also experienced significant impacts from the storm system. Melbourne recorded its wettest day in a year and a half, with 35.4mm of rainfall falling in the 24 hours from 9am on Sunday, according to data from the Bureau of Meteorology. More than 28,000 energy customers where without power at one point on Sunday.
The State Emergency Service (SES) responded to 598 requests for assistance across the state, primarily related to building damage, downed trees, and flooding. While manny calls have been addressed, over 100 requests remained outstanding on Monday morning.
The hardest-hit suburbs included Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, and Wyndham, which collectively accounted for a “pretty significant” 179 calls for assistance, according to the SES.
Health Concerns Rise Amidst Storm Aftermath
Authorities in Victoria are also monitoring for a potential increase in epidemic thunderstorm asthma. Victoria’s chief health officer, Dr. Caroline McElnay, warned of heightened risk in the state’s northern count
Why did this happen? A powerful thunderstorm system, fueled by a low-pressure trough drawing moisture inland, swept across southeastern Queensland and Victoria. The system generated exceptionally strong winds and large hailstones.
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