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Ferocious storms lash south-east Queensland


Severe thunderstorms lashed south-east Queensland this afternoon, bringing golf ball sized hail and damaging winds.

In the mayhem trees and powerlines were ripped from the ground, leaving thousands of people without power. As the mammoth storm barrelled east through the Darling Downs it created chaos.

In Toowoomba, gusts up to 106 kilometres an hour were recorded at the airport.

The wild weather also ripped a tree out by the roots at Toowoomba’s Bell Street Mall. Whereas another one sliced straight through a house and another through a car.

Powerlines weren’t spared either and some drivers became stuck in the rising waters.

A tree at Bell Street Mall, Toowoomba
A tree at Bell Street Mall, Toowoomba. Source: 7News
Closeburn, Queensland was lashed by hail (pictured)
Closeburn, Queensland was lashed by hail (pictured). Source: 7News/ Samuel Reynolds

As the system rolled toward Brisbane, it kept its strength. Backyards were turned into swimming pools at Redbank Plains and parts of Bellbird Park were inundated.

Across the south east, more than 12,000 homes lost power. The northern suburbs of Warner and Strathpine were among the hardest hit.

Wild weather lashed Toowoomba (pictured)
Wild weather lashed Toowoomba (pictured). Source: 7News

Flights in and out of Brisbane were delayed, while the storms grounded all flights to and from the Gold Coast and closed the airport.

And as the storms headed north, the Sunshine Coast hinterland was hit.