Severe weather conditions have resulted in a devastating toll, claiming the lives of nine individuals across Queensland and Victoria, Australian authorities reported on Wednesday.
Tragedy struck Moreton Bay in south Queensland when a 39-foot pleasure craft capsized amidst turbulent waters, leading to the deaths of three men aged 48, 59, and 69. Despite the challenging conditions, ambulances successfully transported eight survivors to a local hospital, as detailed by The Courier Mail. Queensland Police Acting Chief Superintendent Andrew Pilotto emphasized the perilous circumstances, stating the rescued individuals’ fortunate survival amidst the tempestuous storm.
Further casualties ensued across Queensland, including a 59-year-old woman fatally injured by a falling tree in Gold Coast and a heartbreaking incident in Brisbane where a 9-year-old girl was discovered lifeless after being swept away in a stormwater drain. Tragic events continued in Gympie, Queensland, where the lifeless bodies of two women, aged 40 and 46, were retrieved from the Mary River. Concurrently, a third woman narrowly escaped the river’s treacherous currents.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll attributed the series of unfortunate events to “exceptionally challenging weather conditions.”
In Victoria’s Buchan region, authorities recovered the deceased body of an unidentified woman following receding floodwaters. Subsequently, the remains of an anonymous male companion were located, marking another grim discovery. Additionally, eastern Victoria recorded a fatality as a 44-year-old man succumbed to injuries inflicted by a fallen branch on his rural estate.
The relentless onslaught of thunderstorms and potent winds wreaked havoc on infrastructure, downing over 1,000 power lines in Queensland and plunging approximately 85,000 residents into darkness, exacerbating the widespread impact of the calamitous weather conditions.
