Thousands affected by blackouts after damaging storms hit Australia
Sydney, June 1
Tens of thousands of homes in Western Australia have been hit by blackouts after severe storms swept across the state over the weekend, damaging properties and power lines.
The state-owned Western Power said that around 70,000 customers in WA, including in the capital of Perth, were without electricity as of Monday morning following damaging storms that hit the southern half of the state on Saturday and Sunday.
Wind speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour were recorded across south and southwest WA amid 24 hours of severe storm activity that caused widespread damage and flooding.
The State Emergency Service said it had received around 700 calls for assistance as of Monday morning, most of which related to roof damage, structural damage and fallen trees. Authorities said on Monday that no injuries had been reported.
An apartment building in the coastal western Perth suburb of Cottesloe had its roof torn off, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said, and nearby residents have been warned to stay indoors.
An 11-year-old boy who was reported missing from Perth's western suburbs on Saturday evening was found safe and well on Sunday morning, police said.
Western Power estimated that most electricity outages would be resolved by Monday night local time, Xinhua news agency reported.
Cyclone-strength winds were recorded in some areas, including Cape Naturaliste where there was a gust of 135 kilometres per hour.
Western Power is working to restore power to 69,000 customers who have been cut off across WA, with more than 250 storm-related outages in the South West.
Western Power estimated most outages would be resolved by around 6:30pm but said the restoration effort would be an enormous task.
"There are about 1,300 incidents we've got on the network at the moment, so it's definitely not a small event," Western Power's head of operational maintenance Brett Hovingh said.
There are reports of fallen trees, power lines and debris on the roads across Perth and the southern and western coastlines, and Main Roads is urging motorists to drive with caution.
— IANS
Reader Comments
My cousin lives in Cottesloe and sent me videos of the roof being torn off that apartment building - terrifying stuff! 😱 She's been staying with friends who have a generator. In Bangalore, we have regular power cuts but at least the building codes mandate stronger roofs for areas prone to storms. This seems like a massive wake-up call for Australian authorities to update their disaster preparedness. Also relief to hear the missing boy was found safe.
As someone who lived through Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal, I can relate. The key issue here seems to be that power infrastructure isn't designed for such extreme winds. In India, we've learned to harden grids - but even then, 70,000 customers without power is a big problem. The fact that no injuries have been reported so far is a blessing. Hope Western Power mobilises enough crews quickly - these outages affect everything from healthcare to water supply.
Cyclone-strength winds of 135 km/h - that's not your average storm. Reminds me of how Kerala handles Ockhi or Mumbai deals with localised flooding. The response from SES with 700 calls for assistance is impressive, but I'm curious about long-term preparedness. In India, many states now have dedicated disaster response teams pre-positioned in vulnerable areas. The fact that no injuries were reported shows some good planning, but the economic impact of losing power for 24+ hours in a major city like Perth is huge.
Western Australia really got walloped this time. I work in disaster management and this kind of widespread blackout can cascade quickly - think of traffic lights failing, elevators trapping people, and people dependent on medical devices at home. Western Power's 1,300 incidents figure is staggering. In India, we've seen similar challenges during the Uttarakhand floods. The priority should be getting power healthcare and water supply restored first. Kudos to the SES volunteers though - 700 calls answered is no joke.
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