Storm Slams Canberra

[Aussie George]

Severe storm shuts down Canberra
February 28, 2007 - 7:14AM

Schools, universities and government departments have been forced to shut after a severe electrical and hail storm battered northern Canberra overnight.

The Australian National University is shut as is the exclusive private school Canberra Grammar along with Campbell High, sections of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Road crews are working to cut through hail drifts up to one metre deep on roads heading into the city's central business district, Civic.

Critical communication infrastructure including Telstra's civic exchange was also damaged overnight but the extent of damage is still unclear.

In a city unused to peak hour traffic during Wednesday morning's commute has been thrown into chaos for thousands of people travelling from Canberra's northern suburbs including Belconnen and Gungahlin.

William Hovell Drive is particularly affected by the storm with traffic very slow southbound.

ACT State Emergency Service (SES) chief officer Tony Graham said the SES had received about 100 calls for assistance with 40 officers working through the night.

"The majority of jobs have been for flooding and hail damage with a number of residential properties sustaining collapsed ceilings," he said in a statement.

Numerous roads were closed overnight including Parkes Way and Vernon Circle in the city, he said.

Bunda Street in Civic is shut as emergency crews work to clean up.

Firefighters from the ACT Fire Brigade and crews from Roads ACT worked to clear hail and debris off roadways.

Mr Graham said the storm struck late on Tuesday night causing widespread damage from Civic through to Belconnen in Canberra's north.

He said the ACT SES expects more calls for assistance to come in later on Wednesday morning as people wake up to discover damage to their properties.

Canberra's commercial centre of Civic, experienced unspecified but extensive damage as hail blocked gutters causing them to overflow into shops and offices.

Nature strips across the city's inner north were pounded by the hail, leaving little more than mud in places were drought had stripped away top soil.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/...338659040.html

[Aussie George]

So I was sitting there about to finish work and leave. The other two guys at my station had both left, and I knew there was a storm coming. I had checked it out on the internet and thougt, "I will wait here and watch Third Watch and get on RP."

Next thing I knew i hear all hell breaking loose on the radio. Reports of cars getting washed off roads and ice everywhere.

I called Comms and asked where they wanted me (overtime!! YAY!!)

I responded from flooded car to flooded car. Then I was tasked to the City where there had been a small crash. I was on Parkes Way which is a small freeway area. The road was covered in about 2 feet of water and as usual people who couldn't drive a wet finger up their a$$ had run into it and flooded their cars. I stopped to help one and visibility was that bad that I couldn't see that on the other side of the road there was about 20 cars that had hit a patch of hail and ice and slush that was about 2 feet dip. All the cars had spun and there was chaos. It was right near an off ramp, but none wanted to go up it as the bottom of it was flooded and looked deep. (it wasnt though)

There were two Army Reservists on their way home from training night who stoped and helped me push cars over the median strip and onto dry land. Then I headed off to do traffic control. These two guys kept going at it for about 45 mniutes and eventually pushed all 20 cars out of the ice. Awesome job!! I have been on the phone this morning trying to find their CO to contact them and get their names. I would have been screwed without them!

I had no back up as all other patrols were in the same boat. One reported a metre of hail and ice/slush and they needed a dozer to clear it. Keep in mind this was short sleeve summer weather an hour earlier and it just belted down. Less than an hour and it was all over, bar the ice and hail deposits everywhere.

I eventually got the road closed and was directing traffic onto the up ramp to an overpass. I was telling each car to go to the top and turn right as the Parkes Way was closed. After the two Army guys left, one ran back to my location and told me that the idots I had been redirecting up the ramp had gone straight over the overpass and down the down ramp back onto the road that was covered in 2 feet of ice. No surprise - they all got stuck again.

DAMN PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS!!!!!!!

I managed to get another car there to do traffic control eventually. I made sure no-one offered help to the idiots who had got stuck on the down ramp. For all I cared they could spin their wheels until their transmissions blew up.

Now don't get me wrong it was not cold. The road was covered in large patches of white hail in piles. There was a lot of fog and it was hard to see, but it was not like the road was frozen or anything. Hell it is summer here still. Anyway, I had one guy locking up his car and skid to a halt nearly hitting me. I had two torches with flashing red and blue LED lights, five witches hats with reflectors on them, a large hi-vis yellow rain coat on and a large white Police car with LED red and blues and a flashing LED Detour sign on the roof.

I began yelling at the guy to slow down and watch what he was doing and that the road was closed and he had to go up the exit ramp. He looked at me and told me that it was hard to see me in the fog, like it was my fault. I politely (:rolleyes: ) explained to him in a calm manner that if he could not see me and all my reflective gear and lights and Police car, and could not stop in time then it was pretty obvious that he was driving too fast for the conditions and suggested he drive a little slower. I courteously thanked him and bid him goodnight. :p

Nice way to make a few hours overtime, but gee I hate drivers!!!!

[Wombat311]

I began yelling at the guy to slow down and watch what he was doing and that the road was closed and he had to go up the exit ramp. He looked at me and told me that it was hard to see me in the fog, like it was my fault. I politely ( ) explained to him in a calm manner that if he could not see me and all my reflective gear and lights and Police car, and could not stop in time then it was pretty obvious that he was driving too fast for the conditions and suggested he drive a little slower. I courteously thanked him and bid him goodnight.

Sure you did. :D I will not translate this paragraph for the benefit of our readers since it is in the public side where kiddies can read it.

[Aussie George]

Sure you did. I will not translate this paragraph for the benefit of our readers since it is in the public side where kiddies can read it.

:D ;)

[Norm357]

Please tell me someone got some pics!:eek:

[Aussie George]

[Aussie George]

[Aussie George]

[Aussie George]

All that white is actually hail. The weather was still quite warm and short sleeve shirt. I was sweating my butt off doing TC coz I had to put my raincoat for it's reflective quality.

And this is summer....:confused:

And I was on a nearby freeway which was a lot worst than these pics show.

[patchcop]

I am very sorry that I have to spread rep before I can red rep you again. Will any real cop will do that for me, I hit him once a few minutes ago.

And mods, please ban him some universes away.
IBTL

Edit: This post was made because an troll posted between Aussie and me yesterday an ton of BS here. The Mods. deleted the sh*t and I'm glad they did. The above post is not and was not against Aussie!!!!!!!

[Aussie George]

And mods, please ban him some universes away.
IBTL

Hee hee. That is gold!! green will be sent when I can get it done. :D

[Aussie George]

Our city station was damaged and one of our other main buildings. They have had to close sections of them and relocate until repairs are completed.

The whole thing lasted about ten minutes and was a strip through the city that was only about 2 kms wide. When I left (through the streets in these photos) I drove about 2 kms and I was back on dry roads again. Not a drop of rain even!! Quite astounding.