Planes delayed as lightning blasts holes in airport runway
A lightning strike caused airport chaos – closing a runway for more than eight hours – as heavy storms continue to lash south-east Queensland. One wildlife group inundated with calls for help.
A direct lightning strike blasted a hole in one of the runways at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday, forcing emergency repairs and closing the runway for more than eight hours.
Footage shared by the airport showed the strike hitting the western runway about 3.11pm, leaving a scattering of hand-sized holes across a section of bitumen.
The runway was closed as engineers put “in significant effort to repair and reopen the runway safely”, the airport said in a statement.
While the strike and broader storm activity caused delays, no flights were cancelled on Tuesday, and the airport was operating as usual on Wednesday, Brisbane Airport spokesperson Peter Doherty told InDaily.
“Throughout the repair period, all aircraft were able to use the eastern runway to ensure passengers continued to get to their destinations,” Doherty said.
He said the runway was reopened by 11.52pm and there was no further impact to flights.
A series of “very dangerous” storms began moving though parts of the south-east about 1pm on Tuesday, bringing hail up to seven centimetres in size.
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Both the Bureau of Meteorology and Higgins Storm Chasing issued warnings over the possibility for destructive winds, hail and heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding.
Later, the bureau confirmed hail stones measuring between three and seven centimetres were recorded at Yamanto, Flinders View, Ripley and Mudgeeraba.
Higgins Storm Chasing posted to their 1.5 million social media followers there was potential for “five or more” possible supercells.
It said there was a “very high risk” for possible giant hail and destructive winds of more than 125km/h.
The warning came with the “low risk of a tornado”.
The group described conditions as a “loaded gun set-up that will go boom from lunchtime onwards”, with Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Coast regions in the firing line.
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Meanwhile, a Queensland wildlife rescue group says it has been “inundated” with calls for help after heavy rain and flash flooding pummelled the south east this week.
Wildlife Rescue Queensland said the torrential rain, storms and flooding had affected a “countless” number of wild animals.
“You’ve likely seen the… incredible human rescues on the news over the past few days, but there are countless other lives caught in these conditions, often out of sight,” a social media statement from the group said.
“Our native wildlife are struggling too.”
It said heavy rain and flash flooding could force wildlife out of their usual habitats, with animals sometimes ending up on roads, in backyards or in unfamiliar places.
“Volunteers have been inundated with calls for help,” the group said.
“From kangaroos and wallabies exhausted by floodwaters to birds, possums and bandicoots stranded, injured or trapped in fences, the need for help has been relentless.
“Some animals have fought so hard against the rising water that they have little strength left when our rescuers reach them.”
The group was calling for donations for “veterinary care and ongoing support for animals recovering from their ordeal”.
“Behind every rescue are volunteers giving their time, navigating difficult conditions and doing everything they can to get these animals to safety.
“We really need your help.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said Queensland’s weather was set to return to more typical spring conditions as the week continued.
Hot and humid days are expected to give way to more subdued afternoon showers and storms.
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