A swift yet fierce storm left 6,000 households across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Somerset without electricity. Energex teams are actively working to bring power back to these affected areas.

Southport bore the brunt of the storm, with numerous trees and power lines toppled throughout the suburb, igniting the start of a significant cleanup effort.

This Christmas storm, identified as a microburst, was powerful enough to nearly unhinge restaurant doors and send a barbecue tumbling through the air.

In a dramatic turn of events, the storm snapped a sizable crane that then struck a Gold Coast apartment building, interrupting Christmas celebrations for the remainder of the day.

Next door at the Broadwater Tourist Park, vacationers were instructed to evacuate as debris scattered across the area, adding to the chaotic scene.

Tents were twisted and torn apart, even a boat was flipped by the storm.

“We’ve got family in the park and we went down to help out because our parents, their gazebo had smashed into a caravan,” holidaymaker Taylor Grigore told 9News.

“Caravans were moving in the wind, people were trying to run out to grab their stuff and it was just crazy.”

As quickly as it came, the storm was over.

Emergency services were on standby but no-one was injured.

“No one is going to forget this Christmas I don’t reckon here,” holidaymaker Mitchell Hall said.