Canberrans are urged to prepare for more storms this evening and over the next few days.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the ACT region over the next several hours, with damaging winds, large hailstones, and heavy rainfall predicted, and a risk of ongoing storms into Friday morning. The storm is expected to reach Belconnen and Woden Valley by 4.35pm, and Civic and Tuggeranong by 5.05pm.

This follows Monday’s storm, whose devastating impact will take months to clean up, said Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry.

Bad weather on the way

More thunderstorms are predicted over the next three days; although these might not be as ‘rough’ as Monday’s tempest, Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Emergency Services, and Rohan Scott, Acting Commissioner of the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ACTESA), warned the public to prepare.

• Move your car under cover or away from trees.
• Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard, and balcony.
• Clean out your gutters.
• Trim branches close to your house.
• Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
• Stay indoors away from windows and keep children and pets indoors as well.
• Stay away from storm-damaged areas, particularly if they could become electrified.
• Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
• Take caution while driving.
• Never drive, walk, or ride through floodwater.

Download a Survival Plan from the ACTESA website, and talk to your family about storm preparations.

Storm warnings will be listed on the ESA and BOM websites; road closures on the City Services site.

For storm and flood assistance, including power outages, call the ESA on 132 500.

Do not call 000 unless it is a life-threatening emergency.

Recovering from Monday’s storm

On Monday afternoon, trees fell on houses, cars, and roads in north Canberra; powerlines were torn down, leaving thousands of people without electricity; and houses and offices were flooded.

Being without power, while cleaning up the damage, in the middle of the pandemic, had been tough for Canberrans, Ms Berry said.

“It’s been an added burden that none of us wanted or needed right now, but as always, everyone has been amazing, helping out, cleaning up, checking in, and just supporting each other and lending a hand.”

• Community hub set up in Belconnen to help many still without power
• Almost 800 calls for help following wild storm
• Parts of Canberra smashed by large hailstones

More than 1,660 homes and businesses remained without power this morning, according to utilities company Evoenergy. All available staff were working shifts, but Evoenergy expected some homes and businesses would be without power until Sunday.

“They are working as quickly and safely as they can, but repairing the kind of damage that we’ve seen … is complex, time consuming, and incredibly challenging,” Ms Berry said.

She asked neighbours, friends, and family of people without internet access or electricity to check in, and keep them updated.

As of 6am this morning, emergency services had received 863 requests for help; 720 had already been completed and closed, and Mr Scott hoped the 140 outstanding jobs would be completed today.

Ms Berry and Mr Gentleman thanked the hard-working members of the ACT State Emergency Service, Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue, Policing, Transport Canberra and City Services, and Parks and Conservation Services.

Many personnel returned from leave to help. Yesterday, 26 crews worked – 140 on every shift – with assistance from the NSW SES.

ACTESA has opened an information hub at 27 Drake-Brockman Drive, Higgins – headquarters of the ACT Rural Fire Service, Molonglo Brigade – with charging stations for people without electricity, ice packs to restock eskies, and a skip to dispose of spoilt food.

Several local community organisations provide food relief and support. Details are online here.

Formal food and accommodation relief is available from the ACT Government if needed.

An extra green waste bin pick-up will take place for the most severely impacted suburbs on Saturday morning. Residents in Charnwood, Dunlop, Florey, Hawker, Holt, Latham, Macgregor, Scullin, and Weetangera should put their bins out by 7am that day.

Extra green bin runs for less severely affected suburbs will be announced on social media.

The Canberra Liberals have also called for the government to clean gutters (to stop débris washing into stormwater systems and waterways), and to sweep footpaths and roads (to clear débris).

People isolating with COVID can get in touch with emergency relief services, or with Ms Berry and other local members. Because this is an emergency situation, they can leave isolation to get into other accommodation.

Next steps

Cleaning up after the storm – removing débris and tree limbs – will take months, Ms Berry said.

“The impact of these storms is devastating… There is quite a mess out there.”

The ACT Government will ask the Federal Government for disaster relief for affected suburbs.

Ms Berry was impressed by the “resilience and kindness” of the community, who supported each other, and cleared up their properties. Ms Berry’s own neighbours removed tree branches from her driveway.

Winds clocked at more than 100km an hour tore through Holt; Ms Berry said she had not seen weather like this in almost 50 years living in Canberra.

Climate change, she said, contributed to heavy rainfall and huge winds – and science suggests that these weather events will get worse.

“We need to learn how to prepare for them, but also learn how to respond them when they occur,” Ms Berry said.