Devastating 'mini-tornado' hits Australian city

[Hum]

A devastating "mini-tornado" tore through the city of Townsville on Tuesday, ripping roofs off houses, snapping trees in half and injuring 13 people as wild weather pounded northern Australia.

The Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) said it received dozens of calls for help, with 13 people needing treatment, mostly for cuts and abrasions. Three were hospitalised.

"Rapid Damage Assessments in the Townsville area have recorded approximately 60 homes with varying degrees of roof damage," the SES said, adding that at least six of the properties suffered significant structural damage.

Meteorologists, who said the freak storm could not officially be called a tornado as there was no funnel, recorded winds of up to 111 kilometres (69 miles) per hour, leaving thousands of homes without power.

The weather bureau forecast further heavy rain.

more

[DocM]

69 mph is an EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Pretty impressive if you don't see many, and certainly dangerous enough.

The report on Michigan's recent 'event' was an EF3: 136-165 mph.

[Growled Member]

The report on Michigan's recent 'event' was an EF3: 136-165 mph.

Glad I missed that round.

[DocM]

You should be - that area is a mess.

I remember as a kid seeing what had to be by todays measure was at least an EF4 turn a neighbors barn & house into toothpicks while uprooting & shredding trees with 4 foot trunks. Fortunately they made it into their root cellar/shelter. Wicked, but within 2 weeks we had a barn & house raising that put if right (yeah, like in Witness).

[ozgeek]

Yeah the weather has been funny lately. We are getting heavy rain warnings with possible flooding. I live just south of Rockhampton (about 8 hours drive south of Townsville). I heard about the torando in townville on my iphone.

[Hum]

A devastating "mini-tornado" ...

Everything is smaller Down Under. :whistle: