Nine dead in Australia after thunderstorms

Victoria: Authorities in Australia reported on Wednesday that nine people had died as a result of strong thunderstorms that struck the east of the nation during the Christmas holidays, leaving tens of thousands of homes without power.

On December 25 and 26, severe weather hit Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, bringing with it huge hailstones and pouring rain. In some of the worst-hit areas, strong winds toppled trees and blew off roofs. Over 90,000 households continue to be without electricity.

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Reporters were informed by Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carrol that three men lost their lives when a yacht carrying eleven people overturned in Moreton Bay close to Green Island during the storm.

Two women were found dead near the town of Gympie, about 180 km (112 miles) north of the state capital of Brisbane, after they were swept away in flooded stormwater drains, police said. A nine-year-old girl was found dead after going missing in a stormwater drain in Brisbane’s south.

Authorities warned that fast-rising rivers and streams could burst banks inundating campgrounds, which usually become crowded during the Christmas and New Year weeks.

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A woman was found dead in a campground in Victoria after flood waters receded, police said. Two were killed by falling trees.

The storm took down a concrete power line, which was “pretty significant and unprecedented”, Queensland Premier Steven Miles said during a media briefing. Miles said the damage from Cyclone Jasper, which hit the state earlier this month, and the latest thunderstorms could be in “the billions.” – INP