Qld: Power out after Gold Coast hit by strong winds

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2007
Qld: Power out after Gold Coast hit by strong winds

BRISBANE, Aug 21 AAP - About 1,000 homes and businesses on Queensland's Gold Coast
lost power after strong winds swept through the area today.

Electricity provider Energex said almost 2,000 residences in the southern Gold Coast
region lost power when forecast winds of just over 90km/h struck between 11am and 11.30am
(AEST) today.

Half of those homes had since been restored to the network, and crews were early this
afternoon working to restore power to the rest.

"Conditions are being described as difficult, which means windy and wet," an Energex
spokesman said.

The Queensland SES is yet to receive any major calls for assistance, an SES spokesman said.

A low pressure system off the south-east Queensland coast continues to slowly push
strong winds and rain north towards Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has recorded winds of over 100km/h in northern NSW today,
while on the Gold Coast gusts reached just over 90km/h.

A severe weather warning was still current this afternoon between Coolangatta and Fraser
Island with strong winds also expected to carry west to the Darling Downs and Granite
Belt districts.

On the NSW northern rivers, about 65 SES volunteers are working to repair leaking roofs
and damage from fallen trees and clearing debris from roads after strong winds and heavy
rain hit earlier today.

The full force of the weather cell is yet to reach Brisbane, where light rain has been
falling for several hours.

Residents requiring emergency assistance should contact the SES on 132 500.

AAP dmc/pjo/jl/jlw

KEYWORD: WIND QLD POWER

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