Massive Gum Tree Topples onto House Amid Intense Storm

A powerful storm has wreaked havoc in south-east Queensland, leaving a trail of destruction that will require extensive clean-up efforts extending into tomorrow. The storm toppled trees onto roofs and downed power lines, resulting in widespread power outages affecting tens of thousands of residents.

For residents Wim and Lucy Meutermans, the loss of electricity was the least of their concerns after a massive grey gum tree crashed through the roof of their home in Toowong.

“It’s absolutely devastating. The mess is overwhelming,” Lucy Meutermans shared with 9News.

Wim Meutermans was at the front door when the tree came crashing down, destroying the roof and ceiling and leaving the house in ruins. The pouring rain further exacerbated the damage.

“It’s a total nightmare. Everything inside is soaked,” Lucy Meutermans lamented.

Another gum tree smashed into a Mount Ommaney home, terrifying those inside and leaving it structurally unsound and unliveable.

“We heard the big crash in the house, and then we started screaming,” resident Emilia Mardanio said.

” … Big rattle, and then I heard like metal from the back, like shaking, like falling off.”

Other fallen trees took out power lines and blocked roads, particularly across Brisbane’s west, while winds toppled a whole house in inner-city Highgate Hill.

Jamboree Ward councillor Sarah Hutton said the damage was comparable to Cyclone Alfred.

The State Emergency Service dealt with more than 300 calls last night and more into the morning. 

Trees crashing through power lines caused the bulk of the power outages. Energex was expecting to restore electricity to most homes throughout the night but some would be waiting longer.

“We know we’re going to go well into tomorrow to get some of the really worst affected areas still back up onto the network,” media adviser Danny Donald said.

“And it’s just going to be another massive 24 hours while they do the real heavy lifting, where we’ve got massive trees over roads that we can’t gain access to.”

Today the temperature soared above 38 degrees in Brisbane and on the Gold and Sunshine coasts but the south-east mostly earned a reprieve from storms that hit the Central Highlands, Coalfields and Capricornia districts further north. 

A thunderstorm warning was cancelled just before 7pm (8pm AEDT).

Much of the state remained under a total fire ban today with extreme fire danger forecast for parts of south-east coast into tomorrow.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a heatwave warning for central, north and north-west Queensland for Sunday to Wednesday.

Maximum temperatures could nudge the mid-40s in some regions, including the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Central West, North West and Gulf Country districts.

Temperatures are expected to plummet across the south-east tomorrow, with a maximum of 22 in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, with 23 on the Sunshine Coast.