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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald

From the archives: remembering the April 2015 superstorms in photos

A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
Massive waves can be seen over the top of the Newcastle Ocean Baths. Picture: Simone De Peak
Four trees are down on one block in Wickham. Pic: Kate Miller
Stroud. Pic: Julie Farley
Floodwater at Stroud. Pic: Rosemary Laing
Merewether's David Smith shared this close call after a tree fell.
Pic: Megan Saul.
Reader Alyssa Gray says her family are okay after the storm damaged her house and car severely. Pic: Alyssa Gray
A brick wall has tumbled in Islington. Pic: Shane Quill
New Lambton. Pic: Darren Pateman
Scenic Drive. Pic: Darren Pateman
Pic: Michael Albury
Storm damage at Karuah. Pic: Torsten Landwehr
Figs down in Laman Street. Pic: James Vadas
Pic: Jeff and Karyn Realph
Pic: Jeff and Karyn Realph
A fallen tree in Broadmeadow. Pic: Darren Pateman
The Hunter is waking up to severe storm damage. Pic: Darren Pateman
A roof lifted at Hamilton South. Pic: Darren Pateman
A damaged sign outside Hunter Stadium. Pic: Darren Pateman
Tiles off a roof in Cooks Hill. Pic: Cameron White
Damage at Karoola Road, Lambton. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
Damage at Karoola Road, Lambton. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
Damage at Karoola Road, Lambton. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
Damage at Karoola Road, Lambton. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
Flooding in Carrington on Monday night. Pic: Chris O'Brien
Tree down in Birrell street, and Chapman Street, Shortland. Photo: Kay Ing.
A tree crashes onto a car at Parry Street. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
A tree crashes onto a car at Parry Street. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
A tree crashes onto a car at Parry Street. Pic: Max Mason-Hubers
The Raymond Terrace Road crash scene. Pic: Marina Neil
Readers are reporting trees down and storm damage at the University of Newcastle residences. Pic: Brittany Hitch.
Pic: Jamie-Lee
Pic: Jamie-Lee
Two boats come together at Gosford breakwater. Pic: Joanne McCarthy
Damage on Zaara Street Newcastle. Front doors of no.19 and the roof off the building next door is in the pool. Picture: June Parkin
Damage on Zaara Street Newcastle. Front doors of no.19 and the roof off the building next door is in the pool. Picture: June Parkin
Damage on Zaara Street Newcastle. Front doors of no.19 and the roof off the building next door is in the pool. Picture: June Parkin
Damage on Zaara Street Newcastle. Front doors of no.19 and the roof off the building next door is in the pool. Picture: June Parkin
Damage on Zaara Street Newcastle. Picture: June Parkin
House split by tree in Rankin Park. Picture: Darren Pateman
House split by tree in Rankin Park. Picture: Darren Pateman
A tree in my neighbour's yard. It's on power a line and car trapped underneath. Picture: Christine Wilson
Laman Street, Newcastle: Gold Subaru trapped under trees. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Laman Street, Newcastle: Gold Subaru trapped under trees. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Laman Street, Newcastle. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Laman Street, Newcastle. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Laman Street, Newcastle. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Laman Street, Newcastle: Gold Subaru trapped under trees. Picture: Kimberly Rigby
Tree on an apartment on Bousfield Street, Wallsend. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Ulambi Cresent blocked off by a fallen tree, another about to fall any minute on the same street. Tried calling SES line is busy. Picture: Meagan
Tree fallen on the roof of a house on Peppercorn Crescent, Fletcher. Picture: Hossein Rahimpour
A sign warning of raw sewage contamination due to flooding at George Farley oval Wallsend. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Trees down between Peppercorn Crescent Fletcher and Minmi Rd. Picture: Hossein Rahimpour
Trees down between Peppercorn Crescent Fletcher and Minmi Rd. Picture: Hossein Rahimpour
Main Road Cardiff. Picture: Darren Pateman
Picture: Lisa McClure
Picture: Lisa McClure
Civic Park, Newcastle. Picture: Andrew Wilshire
A Lake Macquarie jetty is consumed by the swollen lake. Picture: Hugh Robson
Cyclone floods Swansea backyard. Picture: Sylvia Lee
A fallen pine tree at Redhead. Picture: Darren Pateman
Yule Road, Merewether Heights. Picture: Darren Pateman
Picture: Sylvia Lee
Picture: Sylvia Lee
Picture: Sylvia Lee
Hunter Street, Newcastle. Picture: Rosemary Milsom
Beauford Hotel Mayfield loses its sign. Picture: Rosemarie Milsom
Maitland Road, Mayfield. Picture: Rosemarie Milsom
Fallen trees block lane in Mayfield. Picture: Rosemarie Milsom
Tree branches in overhead power lines at Russell Road, New Lambton. Picture: Simone De Peak
Police block Currawong Road, Cardiff Heights. Picture: Simone De Peak
A tree over a car on Main Road, Cardiff. Picture: Simone De Peak
The Red Rooster Chicken on Main Road Edgeworth gets blown away. Picture: Simone De Peak
A billboard blown down at Hunter Stadium. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A billboard blown down at Hunter Stadium. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A car crushed by a tree on Arcadia Ave in Arcadia Vale. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A car crushed by a tree on Arcadia Ave in Arcadia Vale. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A car crushed by a tree on Arcadia Ave in Arcadia Vale. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
This used to be 38 The Corso at Saratoga until it was hit by a huge falling tree. Picture: Joanne McCarthy
Civic Park, Newcastle. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Civic Park, Newcastle. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A shelter smashed at Wangi Wangi. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A tree fallen across a car on Parry Street, Newcastle West. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Swell on Lake Macquarie at Wangi Wangi. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Tree falls across Vita Cafe at Wangi. Picture: Jason Gordon
Lake surges across the public jetty in Dobell Park at Wangi. Picture: Jason Gordon
Picture: Craig Smith
Picture: Craig Smith
Picture: Craig Smith
Picture: Craig Smith
Picture: Craig Smith
Picture: Craig Smith
Cars crushed by trees in Maryland. Picture: Brian McCowen
Cars crushed by trees in Maryland. Picture: Brian McCowen
Tree and wires down on house in Lexington Parade Adamstown Heights. Picture: Darren Pateman
Very frothy at Newcastle Beach. Picture: Michael Rae
Newcastle Ocean Baths: Kerry Smith of Toronto gets caught in a wave. Picture: Simone De Peak
Foam from waves blow oaver the Newcastle Beach promenade. Picture: Simone De Peak
Newcastle Beach is completely coevered over. Picture: Simone De Peak
Strong winds flatten signs in Newcastle. Picture: Simone De Peak
Foam completely covers Newcastle Beach. Picture: Simone De Peak
East Maitland the corner of New England Hwy and Chelmsford Drive. Picture: Eleshia Howell
Vehicles crushed by trees at Wholesale Traders Newcastle, Clyde st Hamilton Nth. Picture: Darren Pateman
Vehicles crushed by trees at Wholesale Traders Newcastle, Clyde st Hamilton Nth. Picture: Darren Pateman
Vehicles crushed by trees at Wholesale Traders Newcastle, Clyde st Hamilton Nth. Picture: Darren Pateman
The scene at Kurri. Picture: Mark Sneddon.
A boat half submerged in Pelican. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A boat half submerged in Pelican. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
The waterfront at Warners Bay. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
The scene at Branxton earlier today. Picture: Mike Lowing
The scene at Branxton earlier today. Picture: Mike Lowing
The scene at Branxton earlier today. Picture: Mike Lowing
Tree damage in Lachlan Road Cardiff. Picture: Ashleigh Chappell
Tree damage in Lachlan Road Cardiff. Picture: Ashleigh Chappell
Tree damage in Lachlan Road Cardiff. Picture: Ashleigh Chappell
Tree damage in Lachlan Road Cardiff. Picture: Ashleigh Chappell
Freeman's Drive Cooranbong. Picture: Tania Rossiter
Close Street Wallsend. Picture Danielle Nicoll
Laman Street Cooks Hill. Picture Meg Olsen
Singleton. Picture Paul Sharp
Boys bodyboard at King Edward Park. Picture: Darren Pateman
Boys bodyboard at King Edward Park. Picture: Darren Pateman
Stroud Showgrounds. Picture: Marina Neil
Stroud Showgrounds: Caravan and 4WD that was washed bout 100 metres to this location. Picture: Marina Neil
The damage caused when a surge of water rushed the home of Graeme and Robyn Arkinstall. Picture: Marina Neil
The damage caused when a surge of water rushed the home of Graeme and Robyn Arkinstall. Picture: Marina Neil
Water across the East bound lane New England Highway at Maitland. Picture: Peter Stoop
A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
A man and woman rescued after their 4WD was stranded on Paterson Road, Woodwille. Picture: Peter Stoop
Brown Street in Dungog, the house of one the deceased in today's floods. Picture: Marina Neil
Dungog road, near the intersection where four homes were washed away in flood waters. Picture: Marina Neil
Dungog near the intersection of Hooke Street near where the four homes were washed away in flood waters. Picture: Marina Neil
Damage along Maitland Road Mayfield. Picture: Simone De Peak
Dangar Park Maitland Road. Picture: Simone De Peak
Locals gather outside the Bank Hotel in Dungog. Picture: Marina Neil
Dungog: Angie Hobman and John Edwards lost their home, it used to be behind the fire truck seen her in the background. Picture: Marina Neil
Dungog: Colleen and Stephen Jones lost everything but managed to save their three dogs. Picture: Marina Neil
Hargrave Street Carrington. Picture: Simone De Peak
A very flooded Hunter expressway at 12:52pm today. Picture: Supplied
A flying trampoline. Picture: Georgia Phillips
A flying trampoline. Picture: Georgia Phillips
A flooded yard in Telarah. Picture: Tony Edmunds
Government Road, Nelson Bay. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Government Road, Nelson Bay. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Nelson Bay Road, Salt Ash. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
King Edward Park, Newcastle. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Yule Road, Merewether Heights. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
A fallen tree narrowly misses the house in Adamstown Heights. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
A collapsed retaining wall at Nelson Bay Bowling Club. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
A collapsed retaining wall at Nelson Bay Bowling Club. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
A man trying to dig a drain on the corner of Fingal and Magnus Street, Nelson Bay. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
A tree down at the Arts and Craft Centre, Nelson Bay. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Riverside Park flooded by the Hunter River, Raymond Terrace. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Ocean froth washes across Shortland Esplanade at Newcastle Beach on Tuesday night. Picture: Ian Kirkwood
Ocean froth washes across Shortland Esplanade at Newcastle Beach on Tuesday night. Picture: Ian Kirkwood
Big seas tear through Newcastle Ocean Baths. Picture: Simone De Peak
Picture: Darren Pateman
Murray's Beach. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Flooding on the corner of Wills Street and Lakeside Drive in Swansea. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
The Farley underpass. Picture: Courtesy of the Maitland Mercury.
Water from Lake Macquarie inundates the Swansea Fisherman's Co-op. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
From ABC Newcastle's Facebook page: Maitland Vale Road at Lambs Valley. Photo courtesy of Cherie at Lambs Valley
Picture: Selwyn Cox
Picture: Selwyn Cox
Picture: Selwyn Cox
Picture: Selwyn Cox
Picture: Selwyn Cox
Sarah Murray sent in this shot of Vincent St, Cessnock.

On April 21, 2015 superstorms hit the Hunter leaving a trail of devastation as cyclonic winds and walls of floodwater pounded the region.

It took less than 24 hours for the 135 kilometre winds and record torrential rainfall to leave a trail of destruction worth more than $800 million.

Tens of thousands of trees fell, more than 450 roads were closed during the storm and over 23 bridges on those roads were damaged.

There was $30 million worth of damage to council roads and $10 million to state roads, government figures show.

The superstorm in numbers.

Entire lives were left strewn across the landscape with debris and more than 115,000 animals that perished. More than 170 people had to be swept to safety by emergency services and tragically four people lost their lives.

The NSW State Emergency Service had to bring in resources from across the country after it received close to 22,000 calls for help. At the time it was the largest response in the organisation's 60-year history.

Fallen power lines across the region left 370,000 homes, businesses and hospitals in the dark and telecommunications were initially scarce, with more than 100,000 landlines out of action and over 24,000 complaints about a range of mobile and internet services.

More than 5000 properties were left without water during the storm and 50,000 bottles of water were delivered to get them through until the service was restored.

As the storm passed the extent of the damage was realised. More than 250 homes suffered damage and over 150 people were left homeless across the region.

Natural disaster declarations were made in 22 local government areas across the Hunter and a range of financial support was released.

What are your memories of the superstorm? Join the discussion in the comment section below.

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