A severe storm in the western Australian city of Perth has left tens of thousands of homes without power and cost millions of dollars in damage.
The city recorded its wettest March day since 1971 yesterday when wind and hailstones almost as large as tennis balls hit the city.
Further thunderstorms are possible today before the weather clears, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rabi Rivett said in a telephone interview.
Winds reached 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles) yesterday as hailstones with a 6 centimeter (2.4 inch) diameter fell, he said.
The Insurance Council of Australia, which represents the nation's industry, declared the storm a "catastrophe," which means the initial damage assessment is at least A$10 million.
The Fire and Emergency Services Authority had more than 200 volunteers work through the night, responding to 1,400 calls for help clearing fallen trees and repairing damage to homes and roofs.
Western Power, a utility in Perth, said 90,000 customers are without electricity after the storms caused "significant" damage to the substations and transmission lines. "Western Power expects a large number of customers to be without power again this evening with fewer numbers to remain off for several days," it said in a statement on its Web site.
The storm hit Perth about 4 p.m. yesterday, triggering flash flooding and landslides, cutting power and disrupting rail and bus services. Damages from the storm could run into the "hundreds of millions of dollars," Perthnow.com.au reported today, citing state Premier Colin Barnett.
The storm gave Perth, home to companies including Woodside Petroleum Ltd., its fifth-wettest March day in history, according to the Bureau of Meteorology's Rivett.For Related News and Information.
Bloomberg