November 27, 2015
A series of thunderstorms that crossed the South Burnett on Friday afternoon left more than 9000 Ergon Energy customers without power.
About 8800 residents in the Boondooma, Booubyjan, Cherbourg, Cloyna, Coverty, Durong, Elgin Vale, Goomeri, Kilkivan, Murgon, Proston, Redgate, Tingoora, Wheatlands, Widgee and Windera areas lost power for almost an hour from 4:24pm.
The was caused by a loss of supply from the Kilkivan bulk supply sub-station.
Another 200 customers briefly lost power at Crawford, Gordonbrook, Kingaroy, Memerambi and Wooroolin.
A handful of residents on Old Rifle Range Road at Nanango lost electricity when power lines fell.
Residents in Toomey Street and Browne Street in Yarraman also lost power for more than an hour.
At 7:00pm, about 1500 Ergon Energy customers were still without power.
Towns affected included parts of Ballogie, Benarkin, Boondooma, Cherbourg, Cushnie, Durong, Elgin Vale, Goomeri, Greenview, Memerambi, Moffatdale, Murgon, Nanango, Proston, Redgate, Sandy Ridges, Tingoora, Wilkesdale, Wondai and Wooroolin.
An Ergon Energy spokesman said the network was impacted by multiple lightning strikes, primarily in the Nanango and Kingaroy regions, during the storms.
A total of 34,240 lightning strokes were recorded in the South Burnett Regional Council area.
Fewer than 10 customers whose supply was interrupted on Friday night remained without power on Saturday afternoon.
The storms brought more than 45mm of rainfall in some parts, causing flash flooding.
Hail was recorded at Wondai, Kingaroy, East Nanango and Yarraman.
At Wooroolin, golf-ball size hail and “chunks of ice” were reported.
For the second time in a fortnight, a parked car in Kingaroy suffered damage after being struck by lightning.
SES volunteers and Council staff were called out to remove fallen trees across roads at Nanango and Wondai.
SES Area Controller Arthur Dawson said crews were called to tarp roofs in the Proston and Cushnie areas.
“The last crew left a job at 10:30pm,” he said.
