Southeast Queensland, Australia, was hit by severe weather including hail, strong winds, and heavy rainfall on the 24th, causing power outages for more than 150,000 households.
On the evening of the 24th, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning that southeastern Queensland experienced intense thunderstorms that afternoon. Hailstones up to 14 centimeters in diameter were observed near Chandler, and gusts of wind at Brisbane Airport reached speeds of up to 107 kilometers per hour. At present, the severe thunderstorms along the coast have subsided. Emergency services have advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from drains and fallen power lines, slow down when driving, and never drive through flooded roads.
According to The Brisbane Times, the Queensland capital Brisbane experienced a brief but violent storm on the afternoon of the 24th, and the sky briefly turned dark. The severe weather caused a ship’s mooring line to break at Brisbane Port.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that more than 150,000 households and businesses in southeastern Queensland lost power, and over 600 power transmission lines were disrupted. Due to the weather, all flights at Brisbane Airport were suspended for about an hour.
The severe weather also caused roofs to be torn off houses, trees to be uprooted, and power poles to collapse in some areas of southeastern Queensland. As of 6 p.m. on the 24th, the Queensland emergency services had received more than 1,000 calls for assistance.
The Bureau of Meteorology also issued a heatwave warning for Queensland, stating that maximum temperatures in parts of the state’s north and central regions are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius this week.