Storm Damages Queensland Coast

Created: Nov 18 2008

Related articles: World > Asia Pacific

WONG:
And in Australia... a destructive storm that hit Queensland’s gold Coast on Sunday has left the state with a massive clean-up operation.

Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd visited the area today to see the extent of the damage.

[Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister]:
"This is a natural disaster, big time, and affects so many families in this part of Brisbane. And this is when Australians pull together, you see in the streets, neighbors looking after each other, you see at the different levels of the government working with each other. You see it with our fine men and women of the SES (State Emergency Services) and with the Australian defense force as well."

Around three thousand houses are now without power and at least 300 of them are badly damaged.

Strong winds, large hail and torrential rain caused flash flooding as the storm swept through form Brisbane to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The only fatality was a 20-year-old man who was sucked down a drain in Brisbane.