*Intense Storms lash Australia*

October 26, 2007 07:33pm
Article from: AAP

AT least 20 homes and a number of other buildings have suffered roof
damage in the New South Wales North Coast town of Dunoon, 10km from
Lismore, after severe storms lashed the region today.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is responding to more than 30 requests
for assistance, mostly in the south of the town.

Large hailstones and destructive winds battered the North Coast towns of
Dunoon, Grafton, Byron Bay and Mullumbimby this afternoon, the Bureau of
Meteorology (BOM) said.

Two Dunoon homes lost their roofs and significant damage was recorded at
the church and the local school, the SES said.

An SES spokeswoman said two demountable buildings at the school were
badly hit and most of the damage had occurred in the south of the town.

The storm is now moving out to sea.

A BOM spokesman said the North Coast towns of Grafton and Lismore were
severely affected by several storm cells late this afternoon.

"There's a cell south of Mullumbimby which has passed over Byron Bay and
heading out to sea," the spokesman said.

"It looks like most of the activity has now passed."

Heavy rain also affected parts of Sydney, but few reports of damage were
received by the SES, although some traffic lights were blacked out in
the city's nortwest.

The BOM spokesman said parts of Sydney had received heavy isolated
rainfall but it was not widespread.
*
Storms black out 6300 homes*

October 26, 2007 05:47pm
Article from: AAP

THOUSANDS of homes in Prime Minister John Howard's Sydney electorate of
Bennelong lost power today because of an electrical storm.

Energy Australia said 6300 homes in Eastwood, Ryde and Denistone East
were left without power this afternoon from 3pm (AEST).

An EnergyAustralia spokeswoman said there had also been some isolated
reports of blackouts in neighbouring Lane Cove.

"There are crews on the scene in Sydney's north-west. The blackouts are
largely storm-related,'' she said.

"As the storms came through there were homes without power but the
storms seem to have passed now.''