Perilous Times and Climate Change
Vicious Storm leaves 70,000 without power in Perth Australia
* From: AAP
* March 22, 2010 9:15PM
A STORM sweeping across Perth has caused widespread power cuts, damage
and flash flooding as it dumped big hailstones and substantial rain on
the parched city.
Western Power reported lightning strikes had cut power to about 70,000
customers.
Emergency services received reports of power lines and trees down,
windows smashed and flooding in some areas.
Western Power said in a statement that faults were widespread across
the network, affecting northern and southern suburbs.
The Bureau of Meteorology had warned the storm could produce damaging
winds, large hail and flash flooding in and around the city.
Office workers crowded to windows to watch sheets of rain sweep past as
lightning flashed over the obscured Swan River, and some office
buildings in the CBD were evacuated for safety reasons at the height of
the storm.
Dark and murky conditions after 5pm made driving dangerous as 85 sets
of traffic lights were reported down.
Motorists heading home were warned to slow down and turn their
headlights on, while boaties, swimmers and surfers were urged to get
out of the water.
People calling local radio stations reported the biggest hailstones
they had ever seen.
Western Power said it expected a significant number of customers to be
without power overnight and the severe weather would hamper restoration
efforts.
Perth has had a dry summer with minimal or no rain for months.