A swift yet ferocious storm swept through Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Somerset regions, leaving 6,000 homes without electricity. Energex teams are currently working to restore power to the affected areas.
Southport bore the brunt of the storm’s fury, with fallen trees and power lines causing significant disruptions as cleanup efforts commence. The unexpected tempest, identified as a microburst, packed such force that it almost burst open restaurant doors and even sent a barbecue flying.
In a dramatic turn of events, a large crane was snapped by the storm, striking a Gold Coast apartment building and bringing Christmas celebrations to a standstill for the afternoon.
Next door at Broadwater Tourist Park, holidaymakers found themselves evacuating as the storm scattered debris across the area. Tents were left twisted and torn, and even a boat was overturned by the storm’s might.
At the Broadwater Tourist Park next door, holidaymakers were asked to evacuate as debris was strewn across the site.
Tents were twisted and torn apart, even a boat was flipped by the storm.
“We’ve got family in the park and we went down to help out because our parents, their gazebo had smashed into a caravan,” holidaymaker Taylor Grigore told 9News.
“Caravans were moving in the wind, people were trying to run out to grab their stuff and it was just crazy.”
As quickly as it came, the storm was over.
Emergency services were on standby but no-one was injured.
“No one is going to forget this Christmas I don’t reckon here,” holidaymaker Mitchell Hall said.
