Lightning strike sets heritage bell tower ablaze in Sydney as storm cuts power for tens of thousands
While 'catastrophic' bushfire rages in northeast Australia's Fraser Island, sudden storm results in damages in southeastern New South Wales
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Your support makes all the difference.The bell tower of a 132-year-old heritage Sydney mansion erupted in flames on Tuesday night after it was struck by lightning as a fierce storm swept over the city and neighbouring regions.
Firefighters were able to control the blaze at the 10-bedroom mansion, built in 1888, within half an hour. The copper roof of the building is believed to have conducted a bolt of lightning, in turn igniting the fire.
An estimated 25,000 lightning bolts struck skies across Sydney during the storm, and while the fire’s impacts were fleeting, there have been power outages in at least 22,000 homes as strong winds brought down trees, lifted roofs and disrupted powerlines.
The storm lashed the city after sweltering heat was recorded across New South Wales with soaring temperatures of 40 degree Celsius along Sydney's coastline.
Thousands of residents were left without power as gusting winds and rain snapped electrical lines and led to short circuits.
The subsequent damage due to storm resulted in over 600 frantic calls for help to emergency services by affected residents in the last 24 hours and over 300 electrical hazards, officials said.
“22,000 homes & businesses lost power in last night’s severe storms across Sydney, Central Coast & Hunter. Power's been safely restored to more than 18,000. We're working to get final 3,500 back on safely,” said Ausgrid, government-owned electricity distribution company.
There will be little respite for residents, as the Bureau of Meteorology has warned more severe thunderstorms with hailstorms and strong winds are headed towards Sydney and surrounding areas for Wednesday evening.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Tenterfield, Woodenbong, Baryulgil, Jackadgery, Ebor and Yarrowitch,” warned the bureau.
Meanwhile, temperatures are soaring in towns in western New South Wales, with the mercury touching 50 degrees Celsius and heatwave conditions in Queensland. A six-week-long bushfire continues to blaze on Fraser Island, normally a popular tourist destination.
Weather forecasters have said eastern Australia is witnessing “pretty remarkable” weather with heatwaves around the interior and the possibility of more temperature fluctuations.
"There's some pretty remarkable weather today and during the coming week with heat lingering on and battling a cool change in the southeast and that's causing some severe weather," Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe said.
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