Tornado halts Queensland flights, damages airport

A tornado has caused roof and other damage at Brisbane airport and forecasters more severe storms are on the way across Queensland.

A tornado touching down near Brisbane Airport on 22 October 2021.

A tornado touching down near Brisbane Airport on 22 October 2021. Source: AAP

A tornado spawned by a supercell thunderstorm has damaged buildings at Brisbane's airport, and the wild Queensland's weather isn't over yet.

The tornado touched down near the airport for about two minutes, ripping off roof panels and sending cargo pods tumbling across the tarmac.
The wild weather caused water leaks at the domestic terminal, but most of the damage was around the international terminal.

"Some roofing panels and awnings and flashings have come off the terminal and some of the surrounds," a Brisbane Airport Corporation spokesperson said.

"On the walkway between the terminal and the air train, some of the roofing has popped out."

The supercell storm grounded planes and prevented landings for about an hour from 10am. Some services were delayed by up to two hours but things have now returned to normal.

Ten centimetres of rain fell in just one hour at Luggage Point, not far from the airport, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Damage to a walkway roof at Brisbane International Airport.
Damage to a walkway roof at Brisbane International Airport. Source: AAP
"A tornado from a supercell thunderstorm touched down near Brisbane airport about 10am ... radar evidence was supportive of heavy rain, large hail, and a tornado," it said.

More storms are forecast for parts of Queensland on Friday.

In the southeast, a severe storm warning is current for Noosa and parts of Somerset, Scenic Rim, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay council areas.

Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that could cause flash flooding are likely.

Severe storms are also likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Wide Bay-Burnett and Maranoa-Warrego districts.

 

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Published 22 October 2021 5:21pm
Updated 22 October 2021 7:28pm
Source: AAP, SBS


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