Matt Jelonek See readers pictures of the storm and the aftermath Source: PerthNow
A WILD storm has caused chaos across Perth, cutting power to thousands, flooding homes, damaging cars and setting off a landslide in Kings Park.
Golf-ball sized hailstones pelted the city from 4pm, smashing roofs and cars while flash flooding closed trains stations, schools, roads and shopping centres.
See the storm’s destruction
Click here to see the storm on radar
A landslide has partly destroyed Jacobs Ladder in Mounts Bay Rd, damaging an apartment block.
“There has been a landslide at Jacobs Ladder in Mounts Bay Road area in Perth city and part of it has collapsed,” the Fire and Emergency Services Authority spokesman Chris Lawson said.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related CoverageMore pictures of the destruction across Perth Thornlie: Tree man – and tree – survive storm Perth radar: Watch the storm approach See Nine News footage of the Perth storm Perth hit by huge storm
Adelaide Now, 1 day agoTraffic fears follow worst storm in 50 years
Adelaide Now, 1 day agoDamage bill ‘hundreds of millions’ – Premier Barnett
Perth Now, 1 day agoStorm leaves 70,000 without power
Adelaide Now, 1 day agoStorm to cost hundreds of millions
Adelaide Now, 7 Mar 2010.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
“Reconnaissance is being conducted in the area by Fire and Rescue Service crews and Urban Search and Rescue specialists.
“An adjacent apartment was affected. Some evacuations have taken place.”
By 8pm, 158,000 homes were without power across most of the metropolitan area.
“Western Power recorded 300 hazard incidents including many downed power lines, trees in lines, leaning poles, poles down and poles struck by cars,” a company spokesman said.
“Lightning was a major cause of damage for the network.
“With the lightning and the number of wires down it is not safe for Western Power to start switching – sending power via alternate routes – until visual inspections can be done at first light.
“Many customers without power are expected to stay off overnight. Many properties could be without power for up to several days.
“Western Power has many wires down and urges people to stay away from any fallen powerlines.”
Duration : 0:0:55
Read more…
Technorati Tags: 911, australia, bickford, donna, doug, freak, hits, perth, spokane, Storm, truth, tv