PERTH — Wind gusts of up to 125 km/h struck Perth and communities along Western Australia’s coast on Sunday afternoon, triggering widespread power outages, flooding, and emergency warnings. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued an alert urging residents to act immediately to stay safe as damaging to destructive winds were expected to continue through the afternoon and evening.
About 130 power outages were recorded across Perth and surrounding areas, affecting 14,600 customers statewide, according to Western Power. Flooding in Perth’s central business district submerged walkways and stranded vehicles, while high tides and eight-metre waves accompanied the deep low-pressure system moving along the coast.
Strong winds were recorded throughout the region earlier in the day. Gusts reached 117 km/h at Cape Leeuwin in the morning and 104 km/h at Cape Naturaliste. Residents had been advised to close curtains and remain indoors away from windows as the storm approached the state’s southwest.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Luke Huntington told AAP: "People should definitely tie down loose items like outdoor furniture and trampolines. When those strong winds are coming through, make sure you stay inside and just stay off the roads, in case of fallen power lines or trees." Huntington added: "This situation definitely doesn’t happen every year and the wind is going to be the worst hazard."
Authorities also advised attendees of the West Coast Eagles versus Essendon match at Optus Stadium to plan ahead due to hazardous conditions. Meanwhile, emergency services responded to multiple incidents, including the overnight disappearance of an 11-year-old nonverbal autistic boy in Perth’s western suburbs. After nearly eight hours missing during the storm, he was found safe following a large-scale search involving police and State Emergency Service volunteers on foot and horseback.
Heavy rain preceded the worst of the winds, with the town of Ludlow—about 200 km south of Perth—receiving 43 mm of rainfall in two hours on Saturday night. Social media circulated an image appearing to show a shed thrown into a swimming pool in Mandurah, in the state’s southwest, illustrating the storm’s intensity.