Hailstorm

This is by far the worst hail storm in Perth that I have experience. Hours before, hail the size of your finger tips peppered down onto the pavements. It was practically ice chips initially, but enlarge it a bit while incorporating the velocity at which it travels, it can end up making such a horrific damage:


*My friend's car was damaged by the merciless hailstorm*

The image stuck in my head today was horrible. As me and my friend make our way out from my office, the rain and wind suddenly pick up. Curtin University's electricity practically tripped under the endless lightning, thunder, torrendous rain and wind. We were just in time to make our way to the nearest shelter before we found out that we were stuck. Puddles formed... merged into small rivers, streaming down from the library section to the engineering buildings. Students who were trying to escape the rain in the computer labs had to make their way out of the building as alarm started to ring and water start to enter the ground floor. Everyone huddled together in the dark under the shelter. This looks and feels like one of those episodes where suddenly in the dark, something climbs out and attack~! Yikes~!




*students running across the 'river'*


*torrential rain, too bad my phone can't capture the image*

Finally waited till the rain subsides a bit, we ran across the campus to the main bus stop and ended drenched but happy thinking that we have been through the worst part. We took 72 bus to Vic Park Transfer station and waited and waited... Until the Transperth officer came and announce that due to the hailstorm, there is a flash flood in St Georges Terrace with a height of 1.5 - 2m and bus will be delayed or worst, canceled. So they advise us to either call taxi or friends/family to come and pick us home. Since the rain subsided and the walk back home takes 15 minute, we decided to risk it. Little did we know that the rain began to pick up momentum and walking home under such condition was horrible. The row of shops along Vic park were closed as there was flash flood there as well earlier in the afternoon. This is it... end of the world... I thought I am not going to make it. But manage to drag my tired and shivering body back home after a long 1 1/2 hour out in rain. Sigh... hopefully tomorrow I won't get sick...


Other pics from the web:

*The lightning scene off the coast of Freemantle* [source: The West]


*Image of damaged cars in a caryard* [source: The West]