1 dead, over 120,000 homes without power in severe storms in Australia's Queensland

Sydney, Dec 26 (IANS) One woman was killed, and more than 120,000 homes were left without power in Australia's Queensland as severe thunderstorms pounded the southeastern part of the state on Christmas night, local media reported on Tuesday.

The woman in her 50s died in Helensvale, a suburb of the City of Gold Coast, after a tree fell on her while she walked along the road, according to local newspaper The Courier-Mail.

About 127,000 homes were left without power in the peak of the storms at the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan, the newspaper said.

Power could be out for days, if not longer, as crews of the local electricity company Energex raced to repair 875 downed power lines following deadly thunderstorms that pounded South East Queensland on Christmas night, destroying homes and felling trees.

New severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Tuesday afternoon, with some Brisbane suburbs copping golf ball-size hail, as South East Queensland continued to suffer from the latest bouts of violent weather, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Australian ABC News broadcaster reported on Saturday that violent thunderstorms would likely hit eastern Australia during this year's Christmas period due to an unusual weather pattern.

The spell of explosive thunderstorms would occur because polar air escaping from Antarctica was expected to drift directly over southeastern states from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, or from Sunday to Tuesday, the report said.

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