More intense storms are forecast to hit south-east Queensland over the weekend, just days after the region endured several deadly weather systems, including a "mini cyclone".
The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed a tornado formed on Monday as part of the devastating storms, causing "very widespread destruction" throughout Gold Coast and the Scenic Rim with winds of 150 kilometres per hour.
Loading...The death toll from the severe weather events now stands at seven.
Among the deaths on Boxing Day were three boaties who were killed when their boat capsized off Brisbane's coast, a nine-year-old girl who was swept away in floodwaters on Brisbane's south, and two women in their 40s who were killed while exploring storm drains north of the Sunshine Coast.
A 59-year-old woman was also killed in Helensvale on the Gold Coast during the Christmas night storm.
More than 60 per cent of power restored
More than 45,000 people remain without power on the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim. The storms ripped off roofs in Manly, on Brisbane's bayside, and turned boats upside down.
The storm on Christmas day was dubbed a "mini cyclone" by the deputy premier, with Premier Steven Miles saying it was unprecedented.
"This is the first time we have seen a storm so intense that it has taken down concrete power poles," he said on Tuesday.
Energy minister Mick de Brenni said Energex crews had been working in difficult conditions — including heat, challenging terrain and limited road access — to repair the damage from the storms.
But he said they had managed to restore power to 63 per cent of the affected areas.
A south-east Queensland Christmas storm event restoration plan has been released, which "outlines when each suburb across the affected region will have power resupplied to them", Mr de Brenni added.
He said it was hoped 90 per cent of power would be resupplied by the end of New Year's Eve.
"The remainder of that 10 per cent are primarily premises in the areas of Mount Tamborine and Jimboomba," he said
"The damage is so significant that we will have to rebuild the power network."
Meanwhile, financial assistance is being offered to Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim residents who have been affected by storm damage.
Individuals can apply for $180 in emergency hardship funding — to secure essentials like food, clothing and accommodation — and families of five or more can seek grants of $900.
Essential services hardship funding to support those without power, gas and water is also available in the form of $150 grants for individuals and $750 payments for families of five or more.
Storms for the north, heat for the south
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning storms are on the way for Central Queensland, the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay, while the rest of the state is set to swelter in a heatwave.
Temperatures in the south-east are expected to reach the mid-to-high thirties today, up to eight degrees higher than the December average.
The warmest part of the state will be Winton in the central-west, with a top of 44C.
"We've had the fires already. We've had heat already, had a cyclone and now the thunderstorms then back to the heat again," BOM forecaster Steve Hadley said.
"There's still a chance of thunderstorms through eastern parts of Queensland. But a lot of them are going to be north of Brisbane today around Redcliffe, up through to about the central coast there around Mackay."
Meteorologist Felim Hanniffy said temperatures in Brisbane could reach up to 36 degrees today.
"Even much warmer than that further west … and it will be combined with high humidity, so it's going to feel noticeably sticky out there during today," he said.
"[It] may feel oppressive at times given those very high temperatures. That's going to lead into a very hot and humid night as well."
The risk of storms won't be as high as previous days, but Mr Hanniffy said severe weather could return from Friday.
"We'll see another weather system start to roll in and flush out that heat but it will bring a renewed risk of some severe thunderstorm activity around the south-east," he said.
"A bit of a lull in the severe thunderstorm risk for Brisbane today and tomorrow, but then that risk increases again for Friday and the weekend."
'Bits of ceiling fell in'
It comes as the clean-up continues around the south-east.
Len La Tours's home was destroyed at Wongawallan on the Gold Coast on Christmas Day.
"The room I was in, the roof went, bits of the ceiling fell in certain areas, and the rain was coming in," he said.
As the storm passed, the 74-year-old crouched next to a large wooden chest of draws.
"My dogs and me getting out of this, I guess I say my prayers and thank you God," he said.
Mr Tours has lived in the Gold Coast hinterland for 40 years, but had never previously experienced a storm like the one that just damaged his home.
"Every tree [has] gone over just in this patch here," he said.
Musician Sam Bray has been working for the past seven years to perfect his home recording studio. That's now completely destroyed, along with his instruments and music gear.
"I had a feeling something was going to go down so I grabbed my phone and headed toward the front door and I just grabbed onto the walls, and all of a sudden the roof peeled off," the Wongawallan resident said.
"The lights went out, the ceiling started caving in and it was just rain and debris everywhere. It was pretty messed up."
Upper Coomera resident Thomas Mccrossin said the storm had caused unforgettable damage.
"Our roof is out on the street right now, the shed is in the field … the downstairs level is starting to cave in as well," he said.
He said guests who were staying at his property during the 15-minute storm were in shock and would not return to the Gold Coast on holiday again.
"It was harrowing, absolutely harrowing … they couldn't stop sort of crying, they were really in shock," Mr Mccrossin said.
"All their Christmas stuff had been destroyed, their presents destroyed. They were really absolutely just gutted."
Live Moment
Look back at how ABC readers and other Australians responded to this live moment.
Wondering what this is? Join us next time we're live and be part of the discussion.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTEyLTI4L3N0b3Jtcy1zb3V0aC1lYXN0LWdvbGQtY29hc3QtYnJpc2JhbmUtY2hyaXN0bWFzLzEwMzI2ODA1NtIBAA?oc=5
2023-12-28 03:16:03Z
CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTEyLTI4L3N0b3Jtcy1zb3V0aC1lYXN0LWdvbGQtY29hc3QtYnJpc2JhbmUtY2hyaXN0bWFzLzEwMzI2ODA1NtIBAA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "More storms and a heatwave are on the way for Queensland after wild weather wreaks havoc over Christmas - ABC News"
Post a Comment