Hobart residents experienced severe flooding this morning due to a low-pressure system called a “polar frost” or “vortex” sweeping across the south of Australia.
It’s caused a big drop in temperatures, icy winds, and increased rainfall.
That has lead to absolute chaos in Australia’s southernmost capital city. Cars have been swept down the street and some buildings have been almost completely submerged.
Thousands of residents have major damage to their properties, and are without power.
Schools have been closed for the day, some employers have advised workers to stay home, and locals are being advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
A severe weather warning will remain in place for most of the day, with damaging winds of up to 100km/h blowing around the city.
Here’s a look at the scene in Hobart.
Late last night, the floodwaters swelled in the rivulet up near Mount Wellington, which subsequently broke the banks and travelled down to lower-lying areas of Hobart.
The New Town ‘Rivulet’ is raging, lots of water coming from the storage units on lower Bowen Road #hobart pic.twitter.com/Yz9Up7bEGS
— Ben Lohberger (@BenGlenHuon) May 10, 2018
Flooding in Lenah Valley, this is Augusta Rd near the RSL (via @Snapchat ) #hobart cc @MonteBovill pic.twitter.com/YgGTWY6aNz
— Guy Boyd (@resync) May 10, 2018
Late last night, cars were submerged under quickly-flowing floodwaters.
Disastrous scene down on Macquarie st #Hobart. Roughly 16 cars washed down the street and damaged by #floods. Roads closed. Reports of electricity in water #breaking pic.twitter.com/TwbIF0Vid4
— Chelsea Wilde (@wildchels1) May 10, 2018
A car park in the city is almost completely submerged.
Section of MacQuarie Street, Hobart underwater tonight after heavy rain. View from hotel #hobart pic.twitter.com/Sz3hNT8IAY
— Andrea Rathjen (@aratty67) May 10, 2018
Flooding in MacQuarie Street #hobart pic.twitter.com/3IsVMRo3dP
— Andrea Rathjen (@aratty67) May 10, 2018
Stret outside our hotel in Hobart flooding after downpour tonight #hobart pic.twitter.com/cezVLk19Ng
— Mark J Rathjen (@MJRathjen) May 10, 2018
This video of flooding in the University of Tasmania Sandy Bay campus is something out of a horror movie.
#BREAKING: Flooding now impacting some UTAS Sandy Bay buildings. This video is from the Engineering building @togatus_ pic.twitter.com/a3jUJYxOcY
— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) May 10, 2018
This morning, things were not much better. Parts of the city are still drowning.
Carnage in #hobart! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/c0ZSosoHoc
— Dominic Anastasio (@domin8tor_1) May 10, 2018
Residents saw the full devastation and damage to their homes this morning. The flooding caused a massive hole to open in this Twitter user’s front porch.
As a KL girl, I'm no stranger to torrential rain and flash floods, but this would be the first time it's put a giant hole in my house… #hobart #flood pic.twitter.com/sg7R8cLvef
— Mei Leow (@b97d) May 11, 2018
Water damage has affected many other properties in the area.
Loving this rain… not. #Hobart #flood pic.twitter.com/Et4qbNwA0M
— Tehkella???? (@Tehkella) May 10, 2018
On the up side we now have a beach in our patio #Hobart #Tasmania #WildWeather pic.twitter.com/h3Z8ROoMf1
— James Montgomery (@jamesatbond) May 11, 2018
This is one reason why schools were closed today. The footbridge to a local high school is dangerously close to floodwaters, and is strewn with debris.
Serious flood damage and erosion at the New Town Rivulet footbridge, next to New Town High School #hobart pic.twitter.com/7GjhRtHGv4
— Ben Lohberger (@BenGlenHuon) May 10, 2018
10 minutes north-west of Hobart in Lenah Valley, a car sits half-submerged.
Lenah Valley Road is closed due to the flood this morning! We’re safe and dry and I hope you’re all staying safe out there, #Hobart #hobartstorm pic.twitter.com/WcTT6N0VYC
— Ruby Grant (@notoriousrfg) May 10, 2018
Taroona is about a 15-minute drive south of Hobart. This fish farm washed up on the beach there, and is floating in the water unanchored. You can see it floating around in the video.
Hope all safe after a wild night in #Tasmania. Taroona like so many places lost power, but Hinsby Beach picked up a fish farm. pic.twitter.com/EQVwoK5HUC
— Vica Bayley (@VicaBayley) May 10, 2018
This storage facility in Lutana is about a 15-minute drive north of Hobart, and is half underwater.
Lots of flood damage around the Bowen Rd bridge this morning 1/2 #hobart pic.twitter.com/AKnm6uKDrL
— Ben Lohberger (@BenGlenHuon) May 10, 2018
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