Giant freak lightning storms rumble across Western Australia

January 20, 2012 – AUSTRALIA – Four people have been struck by lightning and thousands are without power as dangerous weather sweeps Perth and the outer metropolitan coast. The State Emergency Service has warned people to stay safe as the storm sweeps through Perth and the coast from Lancelin to Mandurah. A man was hit by lightning in Mandurah at 4am and St John Ambulance confirmed later today that a man was struck by lightning in Baldivis and was taken to Rockingham Hospital. Another person was struck by lightning in Welshpool. None of the lightning victims have life-threatening injuries. A St John Spokeswoman said that they had received a call for a fourth person struck by lightning in Myaree but that the ambulance was cancelled. Homes have been damaged, floods are causing concern on the roads and domestic and international flights have been delayed. The storm has left at least 22,000 homes without power, mainly in the south metropolitan region, and also caused delays on the Mandurah to Perth railway line as bad weather hampered repairs. Train services were back to normal by lunchtime.  Western Power is attending to the blackouts and SES volunteers have responded to at least 75 calls for help, mostly for flooding. Damage has been reported from Swan to Armadale to Rockingham and Mandurah, but most of the calls have come from Rockingham and Mandurah. More dangerous weather is coming between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area. “If you live between Minilya, Mount Augustus, Paynes Find, Corrigin, Narrogin, Mandurah, along the coast to Dongara and inland to Minilya, including the Perth metropolitan area, you should take action with more dangerous weather to come,” FESA said. –Perth Now

Satellite images, supplied by Landgate of Pert, captured intensity of outbreak of lightning strikes.

contribution by Gen

Read more at Extinction Protocol: 2012 Earthchanges and News Event