Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate slams Bureau of Meteorology over Christmas night storm warning delay

Tom Tate has slammed BOM over a severe weather warning that was sent as a mini-cyclone was already smashing the Gold Coast, as the Premier details financial assistance for those impacted and what is happening with the clean-up effort.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has slammed the Bureau of Meteorology after a warning for Christmas Night’s violent storm was issued after the carnage was in full force.

Gold Coast residents have complained that a warning on a citywide app was issued after the storm had already swept through, but speaking to media on Wednesday, Councillor Tate said he received an updated warning from BOM at 9pm about storms due to lash the coast from 8.45pm.

Mayor Tom Tate addressing media on Wednesday. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

The warning went out to residents on the emergency app a short time later but by then it was too late for many.

“I think it’s unforgivable,” he said.

“We will be talking to BOM about what’s going on regarding the warning because we can’t warn people… it’s not good enough.

“We’ve got to sort it so it doesn’t happen again.”

In a statement, a BOM spokesperson said warnings of potential wild weather for Christmas night had been communicated several times in the days leading up to the event.

“The Bureau issued several severe thunderstorm warnings for destructive winds, giant hail and heavy rain throughout Monday 25 December for the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim (as well as for other areas of Queensland),” the statement said.

“We also communicated the risk of severe weather impacting eastern Australia on Sunday 24 December and Friday 22 December.”

Damian Wheeler helps friends with the massive clean up after the Christmas night storm on the Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head

The storm has been compared to a tornado, but Councillor Tate said recorded wind gusts of 160km/hr met the definition of a category 2 cyclone.

“We talked to BOM about that and it was almost a tornado,” he said.

“The wind on the Seaway was 106km/hr but the wind by other people that reported in near the heart of the storm was around 160km/hr so if you look at the definition by wind speed, it’s a category 2 cyclone.

“That’s how I’m taking it on.

“That’s what it’s like with a category 2 type wind coming our way.”

Helensvale Primary School was smashed by a ferocious storm on Christmas night. Picture: Adam Head

But Premier Steven Miles on Wednesday defended the Bureau of Meteorology.

“I’ve always found the Bureau staff that I deal with are very professional and do their very best to use the information that’s available to them to provide those predictions,” Mr Miles said.

“They walk a fine line – often if they predict more than what occurs they get criticised and if they predict less than what occurs they get criticised.”

The Premier said the ferocity of weather events that have belted the state in recent weeks have been difficult to predict.

“There were 250,000 lightning strikes the day before yesterday and another 150,000 lightning strikes yesterday – these are very intense storms,” Mr Miles said.

HARDSHIP PAYMENTS DETAILED AS MASSIVE CLEAN-UP CONTINUES

Queensland Premier Steven Miles speaks to the media on Wednesday. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Miles said local disaster crews were managing clean-up efforts in the wake of the severe storms that pelted the Gold Coast region, ensuring residents’ that assistance from state and federal agencies were not needed.

He said the “thoughts of all Queenslanders are with those families who are grieving right now” after it was revealed the death toll from the devastating storms in the south east rose to six people.

There were currently 450 energy worker crews on the road scrambling to reconnect electricity to tens of thousands of households.

“There’s been 900 power lines taken down by these storms – they did a great job overnight reconnecting 25,000 houses but there are still tens of thousands of Queenslanders who are without power,” the Premier said.

Sonny Katipa near a tree that fell onto his truck and house after Helensvale was smashed by a ferocious storm on Christmas night. Picture: Adam Head

Mr Miles said the SES was dealing with nearly a thousand requests for assistance, which he described as a “very heavy workload”.

Despite reports of some residents still waiting for emergency crews to help clean up their homes, the Premier said the local disaster management groups were coping with demand within their resources.

“They haven’t had to escalate up to a state level, let alone a federal level,” he said.

“We will have a state disaster group co-ordination meeting this afternoon just to make sure that those mayors feel they have all the support they need from state agencies.”

Bob Avery in his bedroom at his Helensvale home which was smashed by a ferocious storm on Christmas night. Picture: Adam Head

The Premier said the urgency on Tuesday for clean-up crews was focused on areas bracing for further storms and today the SES crews are prioritising areas in the south east likely to be lashed with severe weather this afternoon and into the evening.

“So the SES crews are prioritising those jobs that will allow them to make those homes safe in the case of further storms,” Mr Miles said.

Mr Miles said disaster hardship funding from the state and Commonwealth had been activated for residents in the Gold Coast region affected by the severe weather.

The payments are $180 per person and up to $900 for families of five or more, which the Premier said was aimed at ensuring those affected can get through the first few days of the recovery and have access to food and other needs.

The Premier said the damage bill from Cyclone Jasper and ensuing flooding disaster in the far north was expected to cost billions of dollars but the bill will surge following the devastation in the south east in recent days given the affected areas are “very highly populated”.