Storm leaves trail of destruction across New South Wales

16 Dec 2015

 

The Bureau of Meteorology said the destructive winds hit at about 10:30am (AEDT) on Wednesday, measuring up to 213 kilometres per hour, while some areas were pelted with golf ball-sized hail stones.
New South Wales Fire and Rescue Superintendent Ian Krimmer said the weather event had been "unprecedented".
Forecaster Michael Logan said the wind speeds recorded were "up there" with the fastest ever registered in the Sydney area.
"We don't get situations like that without it being a tornado," he said.
"It is what's called a super cell thunderstorm and they're one of the most dangerous thunderstorms we get."
Kurnell resident Beverley Bultitude was at home when the tornado hit and said it developed suddenly.
"Outside, it was as black as anything," she told the ABC. 

"All of a sudden there was a bit of wind and then it hit and when it hit, it hit hard.
"Everything was just spinning, spinning around ... it was like shrapnel, that's the only way I could describe it."
She said she was inside her home at the time as the tornado "roared".



"We're seeing homes that are completely unroofed, others with very significant structural damage," Mr Campbell said.
"There's a lot of insulation and other debris scattered right across parts of the peninsula.
"We've got many, many powerlines down."
The SES received more than 500 calls for help and police said residents of Kurnell were able to return home, but the suburb was left without power and sewerage.
Inspector Winston Pisani said it was lucky no-one was seriously injured.
"We are very fortunate no-one was hurt or seriously injured given the amount of damage we now see," he said.

"It was the most terrifying experience of my life."
One 702 ABC Sydney talkback caller, Troy, said Kurnell was "just a mess".
"My neighbour's roof is gone, the trees are all down in the front yard and I've lost my outdoor area out the back," he said.
"There's trees down out the front of his house which have landed in my front yard."
On the south coast there were a number of flood rescues in the Nowra area.
Photos on social media have shown the damage caused by the morning's storm including a truck that was knocked over in Kurnell.
The desalination plant in the same suburb was also damaged during the storm.
The chief executive of the damaged desalination plant at Kurnell, Keith Davies, said staff were assessing the damage.