Nine people have died in Australia after severe storms lashed the nation’s east coast on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning there is a risk of more flash flooding even as the weather system moves offshore.
The Insurance Council of Australia declared the storms a significant event for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Insurers have already received more than 7,500 claims related to the storms across three states. ICA Chief Operating Officer Kylie Macfarlane said it was too early to know the full extent of the damage in the areas and to estimate the damage bill.
Shares in QBE Insurance Group Ltd. finished down 0.4% in the first trading day since the Christmas break, while Insurance Australia Group Ltd. closed down 1.06%. Suncorp Group Ltd. closed down 0.4%.
Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales
@BOM_NSW
Regional and Detailed #SevereThunderstormWarnings have been issued for the #GreaterSydney and #Illawarra regions. The map shows the details of a severe #storm cell near southern #Sydney. See details: ow.ly/xgQA50Qm164 & ow.ly/rPw950Qm165
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In the state of Queensland, seven people including a nine-year-old girl died in a range of incidents as a result of the storms, according to Police.
Three died after a large boat capsized near Green Island in Moreton Bay, which had a total of 11 people on board. The other eight people were rescued.
In the southern state of Victoria, a woman was found dead after flash flooding hit a campground in the state’s east. It came after a man earlier died after being hit by a falling tree branch, local media reported. In New South Wales, the State Emergency Service has been helping communities clean up after giant hail, heavy rainfall and flash flooding across large parts of the state.
In the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, competitors are facing squalls of 30 knots or more. Two more boats retired Wednesday, race organizers reported in their afternoon update. Earlier in the day, the boat the “Georgia Express” pulled out due to rigging issues while two others withdrew due to “various issues”, organizers said. One yacht called “Sticky” suffered a lightning strike and electrical damage but there were no reported injuries. Another entrant, “Maritimo 52” had rigging damage.
The Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan resumed after rain delays hit on the first day.
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