Tens of thousands of residents have been left without power in Perth as an intense storm lashed Australia’s west coast, with authorities warning on Sunday morning the worst was still to come.
- +Thousands without power in Perth as destructive storms hit WA
The powerful weather event was forecast to bring wind gusts of up to 125km/h to Perth and communities along Western Australia’s coast.
The powerful weather event was forecast to bring wind gusts of up to 125km/h to Perth and communities along Western Australia’s coast.
Images of widespread destruction flooded social media, including one showing a shed seemingly tossed into a swimming pool in Mandurah in the state’s south-west.
There were widespread power outages in parts of Perth and its surrounds, with about 10,000 customers affected statewide, according to Western Power.
Most were expected to have their electricity restored by mid-afternoon.
Wind gusts of 107km/h were recorded at Busselton jetty in the morning, while 102km/h gusts were recorded at Rottnest Island. A severe weather warning issued by the Bureau at 11am AWST indicated destructive wind gusts in excess of 125km/h were likely over the state’s south-west, including Perth, during Sunday afternoon and evening.
Residents had been urged to close their curtains and remain inside away from windows as the low-pressure system approached the state in the morning.
“People should definitely tie down loose items like outdoor furniture and trampolines,” the Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Luke Huntington told AAP.
“When those strong winds are coming through, make sure you stay inside and just stay off the roads, in case of fallen power lines or trees.”
“This situation definitely doesn’t happen every year and the wind is going to be the worst hazard,” Huntington said.
A major police search earlier wrapped up when an 11-year-old autistic boy was found safe after going missing overnight in Perth’s western suburbs during the wild weather.
The boy, who is nonverbal, had been missing for almost eight hours, prompting a large-scale search involving police and State Emergency Service volunteers on foot and horseback.
Police on Sunday hailed the “great news” the boy had been found safe and well, and reunited with his family.
The threat of heavy rainfall eased after widespread rain swept across parts of the state, with Ludlow, about 200km south of Perth, recording more than 43mm of rainfall in two hours on Saturday night.
Damaging surf conditions were expected to continue with abnormally high tides.
Locations affected include Albany, Bunbury, Esperance, Katanning, Mandurah, Manjimup, Margaret River and Perth.
The low-pressure system is expected to move east, with the risk of damaging winds shifting towards south-eastern WA on Monday.
