Energex crews battle to restore power as thousands face extended blackout

Thousands of Queenslanders face a third night in darkness as extensive storm damage leaves some areas waiting until Thursday for power restoration.

Some pars of the Southeast may not see power restored until Thursday. Picture: Energex

Thousands of Queenslanders remain without power on Wednesday afternoon after brutal supercell storms lashed the region earlier this week.

Restoration efforts were hampered on Tuesday night due to a series of severe storms rolling in from the west of the state, with field crews forced to pause work for safety.

More than 32,000 homes and businesses were still without power at 1pm on Wednesday.

According to an Energex spokesman, power has been restored to more than 8000 homes and businesses on Wednesday.

“We’ve had more than 200 multi-person crews out there making progress, which will continue this afternoon,” the spokesman said.

“This leaves 32,000 customers without power, including those very patient folk who’ve been in the dark since the initial storms on Monday evening.

“We know it’s rough, and we’re doing all we can to get the lights back on, safely.”

Power is expected to be restored by 8pm Wednesday for most of the southeast, however damage around Bribie Island and parts of the Sunshine Coast is so extensive that some residents may be waiting until Thursday to get the lights back on.

An Energex spokesman said residents are asked to take “extreme care” around storm debris, warning that live fallen powerlines could be hidden underneath the debris.

“Stay well away from all fallen powerlines, always treat them as if they are live: and call Energex on 13 19 62,” he said.

“Energex will have three helicopters flying quite low across the most severely damaged areas from first light again Wednesday morning to further assess damage,” he said.

More than 124,000 homes and businesses have had power restored across the Southeast since Monday evening from a peak of 162,000.

Outages by region

Toowoomba: 500

Western Downs: 200

South Burnett: 90

Southern Downs: 50

Moreton Bay: 22,173

Noosa: 4972

Sunshine Coast: 4354

Logan: 725

Somerset: 681

Gympie Regional Council: 631

Ipswich: 509

Brisbane: 199

Estimated restoration time frame or next scheduled update

9am

Eudlo, Fairney View, Fernvale, Glamorgan Vale, Haigslea, Marcoola, Montville, Vernor, Wanora, Windsor

10am

Armstrong Creek, Glasshouse Mountains, Marcoola, Peachester

1pm

Caboolture

3pm

Banksia Beach, Bongaree, White Patch, Woorim

8pm

Bald Knob, Banksia Beach, Beachmere, Beerwah, Bellara, Bellbird Park, Belli Park, Bellmere, Black Mountain, Bli Bli, Bongaree, Booroobin, Boreen Point, Bracalba, Brooloo, Buccan, Buddina, Buderim, Bulimba, Burpengary, Burpengary East, Caboolture, Campbells Pocket, Cashmere, Cedarton, Chambers Flat, Clarendon, Clear Mountain, Closeburn, Commissioners Flat, Como, Conondale, Coochin Creek, Cooloolabin, Coolum Beach, Coominya, Coondoo, Cooran, Cooroibah, Cooroy, Cooroy Mountain, Cootharaba, Crohamhurst, D’Aguilar, Dayboro, Deception Bay, Delaneys Creek, Donnybrook, Doonan, Draper, East Deep Creek, Eatons Hill, Edens Landing, Eerwah Vale, Elaman Creek, Elimbah, Eumundi, Federal, Forest Glen, Glasshouse Mountains, Glenview, Godwin Beach, Goomboorian, Gympie, Hawthorne, Jimna, Kallangur, Kia Ora, Kiamba, Kilcoy, Kin Kin, Kingaham, Kobble Creek, Kurwongbah, Lake Macdonald, Lawnton, Lilywood, Little Mountain, Logan Reserve, Logan Village, Maleny, Mango Hill, Manly, Marcoola, Maroochy River, Meldale, Meridan Plains, Moggill, Monkland, Moodlu, Mooloolaba, Mooloolah Valley, Moorina, Morayfield, Mount Coolum, Mount Delaney, Mount Kilcoy, Mount Mee, Mount Samson, Mount Tarampa, Mount Warren Park, Mt Pleasant, Narangba, Neerdie, Neurum, Ninderry, Ningi, Noosa Heads, Noosa North Shore, North Arm, North Deep Creek, Ocean View, Palmview, Palmwoods, Patrick Estate, Peachester, Peregian Beach, Petrie, Pinbarren, Pinkenba, Pomona, Reesville, Ridgewood, Rifle Range, Ringtail Creek, Rocksberg, Rosemount, Samsonvale, Sandy Creek, Sheep Station Creek, Stanmore, Stony Creek, Tallebudgera, Tewantin, Tinbeerwah, Toorbul, Traveston, Tuchekoi, Upper Caboolture, Verrierdale, Wamuran, Wamuran Basin, Waraba, Whiteside, Wilsons Pocket, Winya, Witta, Wolvi, Woodford, Woorim, Wurtulla, Yandina, Yandina Creek, Yaroomba

10pm

Blacksoil, Borallon, Fernvale, Gatton, Ironbark, Pine Mountain, Pine Mountain, Wanora

Originally published as Energex crews battle to restore power as thousands face extended blackout