Climate extremes

Giant freak lightning storms rumble across Western Australia

Perth Now,
20 January, 2012

FOUR people have been struck by lightning and thousands are without power as dangerous weather sweeps Perth and the outer metropolitan coast.

The State Emergency Service has warned people to stay safe as the storm sweeps through Perth and the coast from Lancelin to Mandurah. 

  

A man was hit by lightning in Mandurah at 4am and St John Ambulance confirmed later today that a man was struck by lightning in Baldivis and was taken to Rockingham Hospital. Another person was struck by lightning in Welshpool.

None of the lightning victims have life-threatening injuries.

A St John Spokeswoman said that they had recieved a call for a fourth person struck by lightning in Myaree but that the ambulance was cancelled.

Homes have been damaged, floods are causing concern on the roads and domestic and international flights have been delayed.

The storm has left at least 22,000 homes without power, mainly in the south metropolitan region, and also caused delays on the Mandurah to Perth railway line as bad weather hampered repairs. Train services were back to normal by lunchtime.  

Western Power is attending to the blackouts and SES volunteers have responded to at least 75 calls for help, mostly for flooding. Damage has been reported from Swan to Armadale to Rockingham and Mandurah, but most of the calls have come from Rockingham and Mandurah.

More dangerous weather is coming between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area. 

"If you live between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area, you should take action with more dangerous weather to come,'' FESA said. 

A house in Mandurah was struck by lightning just before 6.30am.

At 7.30am, the Bureau of Meteorology said there was a continuing risk of severe thunderstorms today, particularly in the south and east. Heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging winds were expected.

"Take action with dangerous weather between Lancelin, Northam, Narrogin, Mandurah and along the coast, including the Perth metropolitan area,'' a FESA spokesman said at 8.30am.

"If you live between Lancelin, Northam, Narrogin, Mandurah, including the coast, you should take action and stay safe from dangerous thunderstorms.

"This type of weather is not unusual however it could cause damage to homes and make travel dangerous.''

The bad weather is expected to move in a north easterly direction and will continue throughout the day.

Fiona Lander, spokeswoman for the Perth Airport, said arriving and departing domestic and international flights at Perth Airport were experiencing delays due to the current weather conditions.

"The airport is not closed, however, we encourage all passengers to contact their airline prior to arriving at Perth Airport for the most up to date information,'' she said.

"For information relating to delays being experienced by individual airlines, please contact the airline directly.''

Stoneville Shopping Centre has reported flooding and Police and Citizens Youth Club in Rockingham has sustained some roof damage.

About 50 SES volunteers from eight units are making temporary repairs to homes and sandbagging areas in danger in flooding.

There were unconfirmed reports of a swimming pool and recreation centre in Mandurah being hit by lightning overnight.

A caller told radio 6PR this morning: "It has been raining all night. There was a really heavy downpour of hail. We've had six inches of water through our house.

"My friend has been past the recreation centre and said it had been hit by lightning and was on fire.'''

Police spokeswoman Susan Usher said earlier this morning there were no reports of fire.

A FESA spokesman said crews did not attend the house struck by lightning near France St and Aldgate St.

Power lines were down in Coventry Rd in Shoalwater and Norman Rd in Roleystone. Western Power has attended.

Transperth said the Mandurah line was worst affected after lightning strikes blacked out a number of signals around Rockingham.

Perth-bound Mandurah trains banked up behind red signals and delays of up to 20-25 minutes were experienced.

Storm-related signal problems subsequently emerged around Cockburn Central Station and there were intermittent power interruptions along the full length of the line between Rockingham and Mandurah.

The disruptions affected peak-hour services on the Mandurah Line, and north-bound services on the Joondalup Line.  There were minor delays on Perth-bound Joondalup Line services later in the morning.

Repairs were completed and services back to normal by 12.30pm.

Meanwhile, police responded to reports of a sinking boat on the Swan River near the Old Swan Brewery.