00:00 In a tragic turn of events, Australia witnessed the loss of 10 lives at severe thunderstorms
00:12 wreaked havoc over the Christmas holidays.
00:15 Authorities reported the impact of wild weather, including large hailstones and torrential
00:20 rains, in the states of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland on December 25 and 26.
00:28 The aftermath revealed roofs torn off and trees brought down by strong winds in some
00:32 of the hardest-hit areas.
00:35 As the nation grapples with the aftermath, tens of thousands of properties remain without
00:39 power, affecting over 90,000 households.
00:44 Tragedy struck as a yard with 11 individuals on board capsized near Green Island in Moyton
00:49 Bay during the storm, claiming the lives of three men, as revealed by Queensland Police
00:54 Commissioner Katerina Carroll.
00:56 Meanwhile, two women lost their lives near the town of Gympie, around 180 km north of
01:02 Brisbane, after being swept away in flooded stormwater drains.
01:07 Additionally, a heartbreaking discovery was made as a nine-year-old girl was found dead
01:12 after going missing in a stormwater drain in the southern part of Brisbane.
01:17 As authorities issue warnings about the potential overflow of fast-rising rivers and streams,
01:23 campgrounds, usually bustling during the Christmas and New Year weeks, face the risk of inundation.
01:29 Tragically, a man was discovered dead in the campground in Victoria after flash flooding,
01:35 alongside a woman pounded earlier.
01:38 The storm claimed two lives through falling trees.
01:41 Notably, the impact of the severe weather took down a concrete power line, describing
01:47 as "significant and unprecedented" by Queensland Premier Stephen Miles.
01:53 The culminative damage from Cyclone Jasper earlier this month and the recent thunderstorms
01:58 is estimated to be in the billions.
02:01 As Australia contends with ongoing weather challenges, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts
02:06 additional rain, with expectations that the intense weather will gradually ease later
02:11 today.
02:12 Severe heat storms come on the heels of intense heat waves contributing to a summer marked
02:17 by climate-related events.
02:19 While the risk of severe thunderstorms persists along the East Coast, relief is anticipated.
02:26 Simon Bradshaw, research director at the Climate Council, emphasizes the evident escalation
02:32 of climate consequences this season.
02:35 Meanwhile, as parts of the East grapple with rain, the West faces a different crisis, battling
02:41 wildfires that claim the life of a volunteer firefighter.
02:45 The summer season, influenced by the El Nino phenomena, unfolds with a range of weather
02:50 extremes, from wildfires to cyclones and prolonged droughts.
02:55 [music]
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