20 December 2021

Crews continue clean-up after storm havoc

| Ian Bushnell
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The storm front swept across the region. Photos: Facebook.

The clean-up is continuing across the Capital region after last night’s storm front brought high winds, hail and power outages, with the weather bureau forecasting more of the same later today.

ACT State Emergency Services crews, supported by ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Rural Fire Service firefighters, have been busy clearing fallen trees and making emergency repairs in many suburbs.

About 1500 homes lost power.

Since 5 pm yesterday, the ACTSES has received more than 203 requests for assistance, and crews have completed about half of those callouts.

Hail at Kingston

Hail covered this venue in Kingston.

They will continue to respond to outstanding requests throughout the day.

Across Canberra, Evoenergy reports there are currently 12 outages affecting 286 customers.

Strong winds caused several trees to fall in Canberra’s suburbs, blocking roads and damaging power lines and properties.

An 89 km/h wind gust was observed at Canberra Airport at 6:39 pm.

Hail battered several suburbs, including Kingston and Kambah.

Hail in Kambah

Hailstones in Kambah.

In the Yass Valley, the high winds brought down power lines, including a transmission tower, and the whole town was blacked out.

There is a severe weather warning current for the region, with damaging winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h, and peak gusts in excess of 90 km/h likely.

Power cables at Yass

A power line tower in the Yass Valley crumples from the wind gusts.

The bureau is also forecasting isolated severe storms.

It is warning people to move cars car under cover or away from trees and secure or put away loose items around the house, yard and balcony.

Keep at least eight metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.

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27 towers went down in SA a 2-3 years ago. But according to Scotty and Josh the resultant power outage was due to wind farms and all the SA governments fault.

Wind farm musta caused this outage too. Haven’t heard form Josh yet.

Was thinking that I’ve not seen a power line tower crumpled up like the one above in Oz.
Must have been some gust of wind, or whatever.

Capital Retro1:01 pm 20 Dec 21

I think they are all made in China now.

We have just regained power after almost 24 hours without it. Our sincere thanks to the SES and EvoEnergy crews working so hard in the wind and the rain last night and today. (Cook resident)

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