"Worst storm in 25 years" hits Queensland, Australia

[Chacor]

Brisbane storm worst in 25 years

By Nick Bryant
BBC News, Sydney

Cyclone-style storms have ripped through parts of Queensland on Australia's east coast.

They killed one man, destroyed homes and left more than 200,000 properties without power.

The storms hit the state capital Brisbane and the popular tourist areas of the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

This was the worst storm to hit Queensland's state capital, Brisbane, in a quarter of a century, unleashing hail, torrential rain and strong winds.

Residents in one of its most badly-hit suburbs have said their streets resemble a war zone.

Most of the trees over 10m (33 feet) tall have simply been snapped in half.

"It looks like as if a bomb, a great big bomb, [has] gone off in all the street," said Davina Thomas.

"We can't get out of our street, just walking down to the corner, there are power lines down, there are trees across the road, all we hear is ambulances or sirens I'm not sure which.

"It's terrible. My daughter's had a roof blown off, it's in the pool!" Ms Thomas said.

A 20-year-old man was swept away in flash flooding and drowned, as he was sucked down a drain.

At the height of the storms over 200,000 homes and businesses lost power, in Brisbane and the popular tourism destinations of the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.


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Some amazing video footage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 732661.stm

[tropicana]

These storms came just a few days after a major intense storm caused havoc in Melbourne, Southern Australia. The storm Friday morning moved at 115km/h across Metro Melbourne between 6am and 7am local time, with lightning strikes damaging train signalling systems..but not dropping much rain since it was moving just so fast.

Another seperate storm hit near Alice Springs, North Territory over the weekend dumping up to 4.5 inches of rain, stranding hundreds of tourists.

-justin-

[Sanibel]

This was a non-cyclone straight wind event?

[Crostorm]

Brisbane storm, 16 November 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwbUPNVHrOI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMo3iq3U2DQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skrnDGl1LxQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBheG9vAg2k

[HURAKAN]

Extremely impressive. Looks like a hurricane without a hurricane, WOW.

[Sanibel]

Cyclone-like straight line winds off a monster super cell.

[Aslkahuna]

Resembles some of the really big desert monsoon Chubasco type storms we see in AZ. I've referred to them as 10 minute hurricanes or Arizona's hurricanes on occasion when videotaping them.

Steve

[vbhoutex]

Incredible storm!!!! Were there any warnings issued before the storm? I would presume there were during it.