October 11, 2012
SES crews responded to calls for help this afternoon after a severe thunderstorm hit the Gayndah area about 1:00pm.
Five houses are believed to have sustained significant roof damage but there are no reports of injuries.
An Ergon Energy spokesman said the “mini-tornado” on the southern outskirts of Gayndah also caused a blackout affecting about 1000 customers.
Roofing material came to rest on high-voltage power lines as the freak winds came in a narrow band as a storm passed over the region.
Power was restored to most of the Gayndah town area in about an hour and the high-voltage network was fully restored before 4:00pm.
The power supply remains disconnected to three homes that lost their roofs as a safety precaution.
Ergon crews are also continuing to work in the Binjour area north-west of Gayndah where a shed roof came to rest on a SWER line that supplies 81 customers. Power lines also have come down in the area.
Power supply to all but 46 customers was restored about 4:15pm. Ergon expects to have supply fully reinstated about 10:00pm.