Intense storms battered the Western Australian coast on Sunday, bringing wind gusts of up to 125 km/h and leaving thousands without power. The deep low pressure system caused widespread damage, with reports of debris flying, trees toppled, and a shed tossed into a swimming pool in Mandurah.
Western Power reported around 130 power outages affecting 14,600 customers across the state, with multiple suburbs in Perth and its surrounds hit. The Bureau of Meteorology warned of 'rarely experienced winds' and urged residents to stay indoors, away from windows, and to secure loose items such as outdoor furniture and trampolines.
The severe weather also brought high tides and eight-metre waves, while flooding in Perth's CBD stranded cars and submerged walkways. Football fans attending the West Coast Eagles v Essendon match at Optus Stadium were advised to plan ahead. A major police search concluded successfully when an 11-year-old autistic boy, who had been missing for nearly eight hours in the wild weather, was found safe.
Heavy rainfall was recorded in several towns, with Ludlow, about 200 km south of Perth, receiving 43 mm in two hours on Saturday night. The cold front and low-pressure system are now expected to move across western parts of South Australia on Monday, bringing rain and wind gusts of up to 100 km/h, with severe weather warnings issued for coastal regions, the Mid North, and the south-east.
