SYDNEY • Thunderstorms and giant hail battered parts of Australia's east coast yesterday after "apocalyptic" dust storms swept across drought-stricken areas, as extreme weather patterns collided in the bush fire-fatigued country.
Australia has since October been overwhelmed by an unprecedented bush fire season made worse by climate change.
Swathes of the country have burned, hundreds of millions of animals have died, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed and at least 29 lives have been lost.
Violent hail storms pelted the capital Canberra yesterday, with TV footage showing the storm ripping branches off trees.
Emergency services were warning people in the area to "move cars undercover and away from trees and power lines".
The bureau of meteorology told people in the south-east of New South Wales, including Sydney, to prepare for the approaching storm.
"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging, locally destructive winds, large, possibly giant hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours," the bureau said.
Two people visiting the Blue Mountains, a popular tourist destination, were taken to hospital - a 16-year-old boy hit by lightning and a 24-year-old man who suffered injuries while leaning on a nearby metal railing. They both remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Dramatic images captured over the weekend from western New South Wales show a massive wall of dust rolling through outback towns. "We are used to the ritual and rush of bringing in washing, turning air cons off, closing windows and doors, before a big dust storm hits," Ms Ashleigh Hull from the rural town of Dubbo told Agence France-Presse.
But this one was "more spectacular" than the typical dust storm, she said. "It was honestly like an apocalyptic movie, a huge wave coming towards us, really quite impressive, but I just wish it actually brought a good amount of rain, not dust,"
The southern city of Melbourne, in Victoria state, was also lashed by huge hailstones late Sunday.
Bush fires continue to smoulder, however, in the state. And although heavy rainfall overnight was welcomed in fire grounds in the north, the authorities said it also brought with it new dangers.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said the rain meant "much more dangerous conditions" for those operating heavy machinery to get into areas damaged by bush fires, while landslides complicated efforts to open up closed roads.
The wet weather has brought a reprieve for many fire grounds along the east coast, but the authorities remain on high alert, warning that the bush fire season still has weeks to run.
Experts expect Australia to lose billions of dollars in tourism revenue as a result of the fires. The government over the weekend announced an A$76 million (S$70 million) recovery package to aid in the tourism recovery.
Australia's Conservative government has come under intense criticism for its response to the fires and climate change, which scientists say is a major contributing factor in the crisis.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
