Tragedy struck in Australia's Queensland as severe thunderstorms wreaked havoc, claiming the life of a woman in her 50s and leaving over 120,000 homes without power on Christmas night. The incident occurred in Helensvale, a suburb of the City of Gold Coast, where a falling tree tragically took the woman's life as she walked along the road.
The impact of the storms was widespread, affecting approximately 127,000 homes in the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, and Logan regions, causing significant power outages. Local electricity company Energex faced a monumental task, racing against time to repair 875 downed power lines amidst the destruction caused by thunderstorms that ravaged South East Queensland on Christmas night, resulting in damaged homes and uprooted trees.
The grim situation is further compounded by the possibility of prolonged power outages, with restoration efforts anticipated to take days. Adding to the woes, new severe thunderstorm warnings were issued on Tuesday afternoon, with some Brisbane suburbs experiencing golf ball-sized hail. South East Queensland continued to bear the brunt of violent weather, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Predictions of such tumultuous weather had surfaced earlier, with the Australian ABC News broadcaster indicating that eastern Australia would likely face violent thunderstorms during the Christmas period. The forecast attributed the spell of explosive thunderstorms to an unusual weather pattern, where polar air escaping from Antarctica was projected to drift directly over southeastern states from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, spanning from Sunday to Tuesday. The unfolding events underscore the vulnerability of the region to extreme weather conditions, urging residents and authorities to remain vigilant in the face of such natural challenges.
(With Agency Inputs)
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