The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a tornado is responsible for damaging more than 130 homes in Perth's southern suburbs today. Joe Courtney from the Weather Bureau says the storm has left a trail of destruction. The damage has all the hallmarks of being a tornado, he said.
The Bureau of Meteorology confirms a tornado was responsible for widespread damage in Perth's southern suburbs.
Just after 7:30 a front went through the area, and it seems like a very narrow swathe of destructive winds caused the damage we've seen this morning. The State Emergency Service has received calls for help from residents in suburbs including Rockingham, Safety Bay, Waikiki and Cooloongup.
Residents evacuated
State Emergency Service personnel are evacuating residents from Tanby Aged Care facility in Cooloongup. The hostel is without power or water after the roof of an activity room was blown off. Linda Sherwood from the home says one resident had a lucky escape.
A tree damaged by the storm at Cooloongup, south of Perth
It was about seven-thirty, I was just about to start the medication round, and then I heard a loud bang, I turned around and in the corridor was a piece of roof, I suppose, sitting on the floor and I saw the roof collapse, she said. Then I walked up here and one of our residents was around here, and she wasn't injured which is lucky.
©abc | Gewijzigd: 1 februari 2017, 15:56 uur, door Joyce.s