Following Monday night’s severe thunderstorm that left thousands without power, there are still 9 reported outages across the state as of this morning, which are affecting approximately 425 customers, predominately in the Southern suburbs, as reported by SA Power Networks.
South Australia experienced widespread power outages following an intense thunderstorm that swept across the state on Monday and knocked out the connection to thousands of homes, with SA Power Networks reporting that the severe weather event, characterised by powerful winds and a high frequency of lightning strikes, had impacted more than 32,000 customers.
Over a three-hour period up until 11 pm, the State Emergency Service recorded an amazing 44,000 lightning strikes across SA, accompanied by severe wind gusts, with speeds reaching up to 106km/h at Noarlunga and 94km/h at Adelaide Airport, as per the Bureau of Meteorology.
Throughout the storm, many customers were informed via text from SA Power Networks that their power had been disconnected on purpose, but this was in fact not the case and SA Power Networks have since apologised for the miscommunication.
Despite the dramatic display in the skies, there wasn’t heavy rainfall, with the highest recorded a mere 3.6mm at Largs North, followed by 2.6 mm at the airport and 1.2mm in the city.
As of Tuesday morning, over 25,000 households found themselves without power, and following SA Power Networks’ work at addressing the outages throughout the day, the numbers have dropped to just above 20,500 from 73 distinct outage locations, with a reported 10,000+ customers still left without power last night.
The State Emergency Service also actively responded to the fallout, with 192 storm-related incidents reported, predominantly involving fallen trees.
SA Power Networks assures the public that their crews, both overnight and morning teams, are diligently working to restore power for their customers spanning all across the state. Restoration timelines will be updated as they continue to assess the extent of the damage and what is required to bring power back to affected customers.
The severe thunderstorm serves as a potent reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the need for preparedness during such events. Residents are urged to stay updated through official channels and exercise caution.
Whilst South Australia is set to experience cooler temperatures and showers throughout the week, there are no predicted thunderstorms, with the weather expected to return to fine and sunny by the weekend.
For the latest outage updates, click here.
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