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Woolworths roof collapses amid thunderstorm with cricket ball-sized hail

Hail the size of cricket balls were reported north of Brisbane as dangerous thunderstorms moved across southeast Queensland.

Locals ran for cover in Currimundi Woolworths on the Sunshine Coast at 2pm (local time) on Sunday when the storm hit, but staff were left scrambling to protect stock and registers as parts of the roof gave way to gushing water.

Matthew Perrin filmed the chaos inside the supermarket as the scene unfolded, with some reporting the storm lasted 30 minutes.

“[We’re] all ok, was a bit too close though considering we were hiding in there from the storm outside,” he told Yahoo News Australia.

A still from a video taken inside a Sunshine Coast Woolworths where staff contended with a leaking roof during the Queensland thunderstorm. On the right is a photo of a hailstone in a Sunshine Coast local's hand next to a golf ball.
Woolworths staff rushed to protect registers as water gushed through the roof (left). On the right is a Sunshine Coast local showing off golf ball-sized hailstones. Source: Matthew Perrin/@life_obstacles

The storms were unlikely to bring much rain or relief from bushfires that have ravaged parts of the state, Bureau of Meteorologist forecaster Rosa Hoff says.

A severe warning for giant hailstones and destructive winds was issued from Gympie to south of Brisbane.

The most dangerous storm was on the Sunshine Coast where the cricket ball-sized hail was observed.

Ms Hoff said no storms were expected in the Darling Downs area or the Scenic Rim where concerning bushfires were continuing to burn.

But strong winds had been detected with gusts of 57km/h recorded at Dalby and 50km/h at Stanthorpe.

There would be no widespread significant rainfall in areas affected by the thunderstorm, but up to 35mm could fall on the Sunshine Coast,

Most areas would record just five to 15mm, Ms Hoff told AAP.

—With AAP

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