A tornado has hit central west New South Wales with two people taken to hospital and a dozen properties damaged – including one home that was completely destroyed.
The NSW SES acting deputy zone commander Joshua Clark said emergency calls started about 12.30pm on Thursday as the tornado ripped through the Bathurst area. There were reports of houses being destroyed with “lots of roofs and debris seen flying through the air”.
Photos showed properties suffering severe damage with one house at Meadow Flat essentially demolished.
The Bureau of Meteorology can confirm a tornado has occurred in the Central West of New South Wales early this afternoon.
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) September 30, 2021
There are reports of damage to houses, powerlines and trees around the Clear Creek area, north north-east of Bathurst. @NSWSES @nswpolice
📷: Dean Whiting pic.twitter.com/5er71GrO2p
Clark told 2GB radio the tornado started south of Bathurst and travelled 50km in an area that was “not heavily occupied”.
“At the moment there have only been around 11 reports of structures that have been damaged,” he said. “But our crews are currently undergoing some assessments of that area to determine if there’s been any further consequences.”
NSW Ambulance said two people were taken to hospital. Paramedics were called to a “destroyed” house at Meadow Flat about 2pm. A man in his 40s was transported to Orange hospital in a stable condition with an injury to his arm.
“It’s not every day you get called out to a tornado and this one packed quite a punch,” the NSW Ambulance Insp Meah Ferguson said.
“When we arrived on scene we found extensive damage to the patient’s dwelling and surrounding areas. When you look at the kind of damage the tornado caused, it’s lucky the patient escaped with relatively minor injuries.”
A man and a woman from Clear Creek were also treated by paramedics after 2pm after their house was badly damaged.
The man suffered cuts to his face and was treated at the scene. The woman suffered back and neck injuries and was transported to Bathurst hospital in a stable condition.
The Bureau of Meteorology estimated the “damage line” extended about 30km. Essential Energy estimated almost 120 customers in the Bathurst area were without power on Thursday evening.
The @BOM_NSW says more Warnings are current & more storms are currently occurring across numerous areas, people need to check their local areas as the situation is volatile - https://t.co/9VrqG38Sei
— NSW SES (@NSWSES) September 30, 2021
👉Now is the time to secure or put away loose items around your house & balcony. https://t.co/JCPU61b3UQ
The bureau has forecast further severe thunderstorms and damaging winds.
Clark said the tornado was very localised.
“Some parts of Bathurst received no rain, some received these pockets of heavy hail, and other areas received the tornado … it’s quite sporadic as to where it is,” he said.
Emergency services will spend the night examining houses hit by the storm and tarping roofs, Clark added.
