Storms cut power to 26,000 Australian homes

Severe storms left tens of thousands of Australians without power on October 26, with Queensland battered by destructive winds and hail, while Victoria experienced its wettest day in a year and a half.

In south-east Queensland, about 26,000 households were without electricity after a thunderstorm swept through the region, producing wind gusts exceeding 109km/h and hailstones up to 7cm in diameter, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Energex, which supplies power to 1.5 million homes and businesses, described the damage as “significant,” with wires down across greater Brisbane. The state-owned company said almost 70 crews were deployed to restore power.

“This afternoon’s storm has absolutely smashed our network!” Energex wrote on social media. “If you can see wires down, please stay well clear and call 000.”

The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed large hailstones in Ipswich (4cm), Moorooka and Goonda (5cm), Pullenvale (5–6cm) and St Lucia (7cm). Other areas recorded severe winds, including Amberley and Archerfield at 95km/h and Gayndah at 109km/h. Lightning also halted the Pacific Cup Men’s rugby league match between Samoa and Tonga at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, forcing spectators to take shelter.

Damp conditions are expected to persist along much of eastern Queensland this week as a low-pressure trough continues to draw moisture inland, with October 28 forecast to be the wettest day.

Victoria was similarly impacted, with over 1,300 energy customers initially without power following Melbourne’s heaviest rainfall in 18 months. Some outages persisted into October 27, though many had been resolved. The State Emergency Service received 598 requests for assistance, mostly for building damage, downed trees and flooding, with the suburbs of Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Wyndham hardest hit.

At one point, more than 28,000 energy customers in Victoria were without power. Melbourne recorded 35.4mm of rainfall in 24 hours, the heaviest since April 2024. A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said a “short-lived tornado” may have hit parts of Melbourne’s western suburbs, including Wyndham Vale and Hoppers Crossing, though the situation remains under analysis.

By Aghakazim Guliyev