Former Fraser Coast councillor and One Nation candidate James Hansen, 57, has been found dead in a flooded creek in Queensland. He went missing on Monday after trying to cross flooded Smothering Creek on Boompa Road, near Maryborough. Police say a report will go to the coroner while investigations continue. Mr Hansen was a dairy farmer and served on Fraser Coast Regional Council for three terms. Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour paid tribute to him as a passionate advocate for rural producers. Severe weather and rising floodwaters continue to affect parts of Queensland.
Readers across northern New South Wales reported overnight rainfall totals from rain gauges, with Wiangaree recording 32mm and Bean Creek north of Bonalbo recording 30mm. Mt Lindesay Road between Legume and Woodenbong is closed in both directions. The Bureau of Meteorology says more rain is possible tonight, with up to 30mm, and a further 0 to 5mm is possible on Tuesday, with showers and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms inland.
A storm cell struck Leongatha around 7pm last Saturday, bringing wind, rain and heavy hail. Leongatha SES received calls about fallen trees, collapsed ceilings and flooding. Three SES teams attended nine fallen trees or branches and five building damage incidents. One rescue was carried out. SES controller Teresa Jans said some drivers showed little courtesy to police and emergency crews at the scene, which she described as a concern. Local SES also cleared trees in Inverloch.
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A storm in south-east Queensland on Thursday dumped more than 200mm of rain in three hours, causing flash floods and hundreds of State Emergency Service calls. Monthly October rainfall records were broken at Nambour and Beerburrum. Experts say forecasting has improved, but small, localised storms remain hard to predict precisely. Climate scientists also say climate change is intensifying rainfall extremes and making severe weather more consequential, which can make forecasts appear less reliable.
Noosa State Emergency Service volunteers sandbagged a Peregian Springs home flooded by heavy rain. Their work came as torrential rain battered south-east Queensland, though Noosa was less busy than areas further south. The Bureau of Meteorology reported about 240mm of rain around Caboolture in six hours on Thursday, October 22, triggering flash flooding, road closures and emergency rescues. Moreton Bay City recorded 152 emergency incidents, most involving structural damage. Noosa Council crews were assessing flood damage and roads.
Houses in Alice Springs town camps and an outstation near Hermannsburg were damaged in a severe storm last Monday. Trees were uprooted, roofs were torn off homes and power went out across much of the region. Residents say poor-quality housing made the damage worse. The Northern Territory government says four public homes are uninhabitable and 59 storm-related repair jobs are under way, including five town camps. Residents face many costly trips to the tip to clean up.
Severe storms, hail and strong winds disrupted the 40th Alice Springs Masters Games this week. A Monday storm brought down powerlines and left about 9,000 properties without electricity. Tuesday's golf round was cancelled, and Wednesday's street party moved indoors. About 1,800 athletes competed in more than 20 sports. Competitors said residents helped clear fallen trees, and the athletes kept going.
The clean-up cost of a severe Alice Springs storm could reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. A line of thunderstorms with wind gusts of up to 125km/h tore through the town on Monday. The storm ripped roofs off buildings, smashed into cars and homes, and left thousands without power. Authorities and insurers have not given an official figure, but the cost could exceed $200 million, based on past flood clean-up costs and a 2017 risk assessment. The Insurance Council of Australia said around 450 claims had been lodged so far, mostly for debris and water damage.
Brooke Klarenbeek says a wild storm tore the roof off her Alice Springs home on Monday afternoon, leaving about 75 per cent of the house damaged. The storm brought 96 kilometre per hour winds and hail, and power was cut to 9,000 homes. The Insurance Council of Australia says 400 claims have been lodged in Alice Springs since the storm. The federal and Northern Territory governments have made disaster recovery funds available, including one-off payments of up to $16,901 for essential structural repairs where insurance will not meet costs.
A tornado-like storm struck Central Australia on Monday, and authorities are assessing the damage. The Alice Springs Town Council is urging residents to look after one another and to stay at home where possible, ahead of forecast rain and storms in the area. Breakfast presenter Kate Lyons-Dawson of 8CCC in Alice Springs spoke with The Wire about the storm and its aftermath.
Bronson Xerri has spoken about the struggles that led to his early exit from the Canterbury Bulldogs. The 26-year-old centre will join the Melbourne Storm next month on a three-year deal, starting in the first year. Xerri said the Storm won out over Parramatta because no one had ever gone backwards at the club. He said he was living alone in Melbourne for the first time and called the move a fresh start.
Aspiring Olympian Paris Porter has lost her beachfront home in Long Beach, California, after Tropical Storm Rachel battered the coast over the weekend. Porter, who hopes to sail for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics, posted a video mourning the loss of the home she rented with her husband, RJ Porter. Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said at least eight buildings representing 13 addresses were red-tagged as unsafe on the Alamitos Peninsula. A Long Beach Fire Department spokesperson said the damage built up over several storms since early September.
Severe storms with winds of nearly 100km/h tore roofs from houses and damaged parts of Alice Springs on Monday afternoon. Repairs to the Double Tree Hilton are estimated to cost more than half a million dollars. Alice Springs cafe The Roastery discarded thousands of dollars of food after widespread power outages. At Undoolya Station, about 20 kilometres east of town, owner Ben Hayes described the storm as swirling like a tornado, with a historic storeroom roof torn off. Hailstones the size of golf balls fell at Lyndavale Station near the South Australian border.
A severe storm in Alice Springs has left about 3500 households and businesses without power after crews restored supply to 5500 customers by Tuesday afternoon. The Northern Territory Emergency Service received 101 calls for help, with 47 jobs still active on Tuesday. Strong winds ripped roofs from buildings and toppled trees, while large hailstones struck homes. Power and Water says safe restoration could take several days. Authorities reported no serious or life-threatening injuries, though some people received treatment for minor injuries. Residents have been urged to stay clear of fallen powerlines and damaged buildings.
Alice Springs is bracing for more thunderstorms while residents are still clearing up after Monday's severe storm, which residents have described as the worst in 40 years. Winds of up to 96 kilometres per hour were recorded at the airport. Power And Water says about 4,000 homes remain without electricity, with extra crews travelling to the town. Emergency services have received 50 requests for help, mostly for fallen trees and roof damage. Residents have been urged to drive carefully, avoid flooded areas and keep away from fallen powerlines.
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A fast-moving storm cell with wind gusts of 96km/h has cut power to about 9,000 properties in Alice Springs. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded heavy rain and hail, while trees fell onto roads, powerlines and roofs. The Hilton DoubleTree hotel suffered damage, including to its ceiling. Officials warn that another severe storm is possible on Tuesday afternoon and evening, and residents have been urged to stay away from fallen powerlines.
Severe thunderstorms with large hailstones caused tree damage across Adelaide on Sunday. The State Emergency Service received more than 100 calls for help, with 80 per cent relating to fallen trees. Vale Park resident Niall Dowdell said a tree fell onto his car after heavy rain and thunder, and he suspected a lightning strike. Most call-outs were in Adelaide's north and had largely ended by nightfall. The Bureau of Meteorology said storm activity would continue across South Australia on Monday.
Two tornadoes struck the coastal town of Marsala in western Sicily, injuring dozens of people and overturning cars. At least 11 people were taken to hospital after being hit by flying debris and shattered glass. A 70-year-old man is in critical condition with several fractures. The tornadoes also damaged a school, where six children suffered minor cuts and abrasions. All 273 pupils inside were safely evacuated. Scientists say rising sea temperatures can add energy to powerful Mediterranean storms.
Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to become the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season’s first hurricane, with winds of 65 mph. It is expected to strengthen over warm waters before weakening slightly and making landfall between Mississippi and Florida. Hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, with up to 10 inches of rain and 7-foot storm surges predicted. Isaias could also set a record as the latest first Atlantic hurricane on record, potentially tying a 1905 storm.
A low-pressure system in the western Gulf of Mexico is forecast to become a tropical storm, with a chance of developing into a hurricane. This would be significant as no hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic this season, a record dating back to World War II. The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs from June to November, with most storms forming between mid-August and mid-October. This year's quiet season is attributed to a strengthening El Niño, which creates high wind shear over the tropical Atlantic, disrupting storm formation.
