Severe storms hit Queensland, NSW

ABC
Nov 29, 2015, updated Nov 29, 2015

Queensland Fire & Emergency

More than a dozen homes have lost their roofs in Warwick, west of the Gold Coast, as a very dangerous thunderstorm moves across south-east Queensland.

Wild hail storms swept through Warwick earlier this afternoon, cutting power to homes and causing damage to many.

Golf ball-sized hail was observed falling on the town of Tara, west of Toowoomba, before the storm moved towards Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

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Warwick Police Constable Ian Buckmaster said the storm was accompanied by wind gusts of more than 125 kilometres per hour.

“A dozen houses have had their rooves taken off, we have had lots of trees down across roads and powerlines ripped down as well,” he said.

He said State Emergency Services workers were out tarping homes.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said at 5:15pm, very dangerous storms were detected on weather radar near Ipswich, Greenbank, Redbank Plains and Amberley, moving eastwards.

A shed in Warwick that has had its roof ripped off by a storm. Photo: Queensland Fire & Emergency

Those storms were forecast to affect Brisbane CBD, Beenleigh, Logan City and Ennogera Reservoir by 5:45pm and Cleveland, Enoggera, southern waters of Moreton Bay and Brisbane Airport by 6:15pm.

Harrisville recorded 64 millimetres of rain in half an hour while an area just north of Warwick received almost 50 millimetres.

Severe storms are also affecting the northern New South Wales coast, with emergency services rushed to Lismore Base Hospital where a roof has collapsed.

Other severe thunderstorms were detected near Oakey and forecast to affect Hampton, Crows Nest and Haden by 5:55pm.

The BoM is warning that damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and very large hailstones are likely.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services is advising people in affected areas to move cars under cover or away from trees, secure loose outdoor items, and to avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.

Hail storm causes maternity ward evacuation

Meanwhile, several people including babies have been rescued from Lismore Base Hospital in northern New South Wales after the roof of the maternity ward collapsed.

A severe hail storm caused scaffolding to fall onto the roof, causing the internal ceiling to fall in.

It is understood 12 mothers and five babies were in the maternity ward when plaster from the roof fell onto them.

One witness who was there at the time said one mother started screaming “my baby, my baby”.

Nobody was injured, and all the patients in the ward have been safely moved to another part of the hospital.

The NSW fire brigade sent six appliances to the scene, while ambulance, police and the SES were also on the scene.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued a severed thunderstorm warning for giant hailstones, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and destructive winds in the Northern Rivers and parts of the mid north coast and northern tablelands regions.

Hail the size of golf balls was reported at Lismore and Tatham around 4:30pm (AEDT) and south of Bellingen about 2:00pm.

More than 40 millimetres of rain fell at Repentance, near Coopers Creek in Northern Rivers, fell between 4:30pm and 5:00pm.

Rapid Damage Assessment crews have been sent to Warwick to assist local @QldFES crews. Photos from the ground. pic.twitter.com/XbEjXrwPGw

— Jo-Ann Miller (@JoAnnMillerMP) November 29, 2015