Severe Storms, Hail and Fallen Powerlines
Severe storms are the disaster most Australians actually experience, and the one treated most casually. They arrive with an hour of warning, they kill people through fallen powerlines and flooded roads rather than wind, and they cause an enormous share of the country’s annual insured losses.
Most of the harm is preventable with three pieces of knowledge: the powerline rule, the hail decision, and which number to ring.
The 10-minute version
- Stay at least eight metres from any fallen powerline and assume it is live. Call 000, and keep others away. A line can energise the ground and the fence around it.
- SES is 132 500 for storm and flood damage — trees on houses, roofs off, water coming in. 000 is for immediate danger to life.
- When hail starts you have about ninety seconds to get the car under cover. Decide in advance where that is, because a hail claim is one of the most common large claims in the country.
Fallen powerlines: the rule
- Eight metres, minimum. That is roughly a bus length. Treat the ground, puddles, fences and any vegetation touching the line as live.
- Assume every downed line is live, even if it looks dead and even if the power is out.
- Call 000 for a line down in a public place, then your electricity distributor.
- If a line falls on your car: stay inside. The tyres and body are protecting you. Call 000 and wait. Only if the car is on fire should you get out, and then by jumping clear with both feet together, not stepping out with one foot down and one hand on the vehicle.
- Never move a branch that is touching a line, or use a pole, ladder or hose near one.
- Metal fences can carry current a long way from the contact point.
Hail
Hail is short, intensely destructive, and almost entirely about where the car is.
Before: know where you would put the car — a garage, a carport, an undercover shopping centre, even a large tree is better than open sky. Storm warnings routinely name hail an hour ahead.
When it starts:
- Get the car under cover if you have ninety seconds. If not, stay inside; a windscreen is replaceable and running out into hail is not sensible.
- Move away from skylights and large windows, and close curtains — they catch glass if a window goes.
- Bring pets inside.
- Do not go onto the roof to look at damage, during or after.
Afterwards:
- Photograph everything before you move it, including the hailstones next to a coin or a ruler for scale. This is genuinely useful for a claim.
- Cover broken windows and roof holes with tarpaulins if you can do it safely from inside or from the ground. Insurers expect reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
- Ring the insurer early. After a major hail event, trades book out for months and the queue forms within hours.
- Beware door-knockers. Post-storm roof and panel repair scams are a persistent problem. Use your insurer’s approved trades or someone you can verify.
Which room to leave
In a severe storm, the risks inside a house are windows, skylights and trees.
- Move to an internal room away from large glass, ideally on the lowest floor.
- Stay out of rooms under large trees or under a skylight.
- Unplug sensitive electronics. Lightning-induced surges do real damage, and a surge protector is not a guarantee.
- Avoid using a corded phone during close lightning, and stay out of the shower — plumbing and wiring both conduct.
- If you can hear thunder, you are within range of lightning. Thirty minutes after the last thunder before going outside is the standard rule.
What actually goes wrong
Someone approaches a fallen line, or moves a branch resting on one.
People drive through flooded roads during storms. This is the leading cause of storm deaths in Australia.
Nobody knows to ring 132 500, so the SES hears about a tree on a roof hours later.
The car is left in the open with an hour of hail warning available.
Damage is cleaned up before it is photographed.
People climb onto wet roofs to inspect damage, and fall.
Gutters and drains were never cleared, so water backs up under the eaves and into the ceiling.
Trampolines and outdoor furniture are left out and become projectiles.
A door-knocking “roofer” takes a deposit and disappears.
Thresholds
| Situation | The rule |
|---|---|
| Any fallen powerline | 8 metres clear, assume live, call 000 |
| Line on your car | Stay inside. Call 000. Only exit if it catches fire, jumping clear |
| Storm damage — tree on house, roof off, water in | SES 132 500 |
| Immediate danger to life | 000 |
| Hail warning issued | Car under cover now. Pets in |
| Thunder audible | Stay inside. Thirty minutes after the last thunder before going out |
| Water across a road | Turn around. Do not drive through it |
| After the storm | Photograph before moving anything. Ring the insurer early |
| Roof inspection | From the ground. Never a wet roof |
What it costs
| Tier | Spend | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Gutters cleared, yard secured, car parked under cover, SES number saved, photographic inventory of the house |
| Solid | ~$120–200 | Battery radio, headlamp, power bank, tarpaulin and rope, work gloves, a fridge thermometer |
| Better | ~$300–600 | Surge protection on the switchboard, a decent tarpaulin set, trimming of overhanging branches by an arborist |
| Insurance | Varies | Read the policy for flood, storm surge and “actions of the sea” wording. Storm claims are the most common large claims in the country, and the exclusions matter |
The drill: the storm-season half hour
- Ten minutes. Clear the gutters and downpipes, and check the drain at the low point of the yard.
- Five minutes. Walk the yard and list what needs securing when a warning comes. Trampoline, furniture, bins, shade sail.
- Five minutes. Decide where the car goes, and confirm you can actually get it there in ninety seconds.
- Five minutes. Save 132 500 and your distributor’s outage number in your phone and on the fridge plan.
- Five minutes. Photograph every room with cupboards open, and film a walk-through. Upload it.
Frequently asked questions
How far should I stay from a fallen powerline?
At least eight metres — about a bus length — and treat the ground, puddles, fences and touching vegetation as live. Assume every downed line is energised even if the power is out, and call 000.
What do I do if a powerline falls on my car?
Stay inside the vehicle and call 000. The car is protecting you. Only get out if it catches fire, and then jump clear with both feet together rather than stepping down while touching the car.
Who do I call for storm damage in Australia?
SES on 132 500 for storm and flood damage such as a tree on the house, roof damage or water entering. Call 000 if there is immediate danger to life, and your electricity distributor for outages.
What should I do when hail starts?
Get the car under cover if you have about ninety seconds; otherwise stay inside. Move away from skylights and large windows, bring pets in, and photograph the damage afterwards before moving anything.
Is it safe to inspect roof damage after a storm?
Not from the roof. Inspect from the ground or a window, take photographs, and let a professional go up. Falls from wet roofs after storms are a routine cause of serious injury.
When is it safe to go outside after a storm?
Thirty minutes after the last thunder for lightning risk, and only once you have checked for downed lines, unstable branches and floodwater. Wait for official advice after a severe event.