Arabic version: عاصفة شديدة تسبب فيضانات مفاجئة في هارفي، WA

Residents in the South West WA town of Harvey, 140 kilometres south of Perth, are facing a big clean-up after a severe storm left homes flooded. The storm, which struck unexpectedly, left homes inundated and caught many residents off guard.

According to ABC News, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) recorded more than 40 millimetres of rain at Dingo Road, east of the town site, in the hour to 2:30pm yesterday. This sudden downpour led to flash flooding, prompting emergency calls from affected residents.

Local resident Kendall Bingham described the storm as unprecedented, stating, “I’ve been in Harvey over seven years, and I’ve never, ever, ever seen anything like that in my whole time here.” He noted that the flooding quickly escalated, with his property becoming submerged within an hour.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services received six calls for help with water ingress as the storm affected various areas around the town. Prior to the storm, BOM had issued warnings to residents in both Collie and Harvey, highlighting the potential for severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.