Residents across the NSW Mid North Coast are cleaning up after severe storms swept through the region, leaving some communities blanketed in hail so thick that locals compared the scene to snowfall.
The storms moved across the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions, prompting the State Emergency Service (SES) to respond to 125 emergency call-outs, with more than 70 incidents reported in the Wauchope area alone.
Sandra Hanson, from the Wauchope Rural Centre, said the intensity of the hailstorm caused significant disruption and damage to the business.
“It was very hectic … it was like snow, the whole car park just looked like snow,” Hanson said.
She explained that the volume of hail overwhelmed the building’s drainage system.
“We turned around and inside the shop, all the guttering couldn’t take the hail and it was like it was raining inside, so we were frantically grabbing stock off shelves.”
According to Tony Day, Deputy Zone Commander of the Mid North Coast SES, additional emergency crews were deployed to assist communities with recovery efforts.
Many of the emergency call-outs involved damaged roofs, fallen trees, blocked gutters, and water entering homes and businesses.
“We had a roof off at a property out there at Beechwood,” Day said.
“Mainly because of the extensive hail, a lot of gutters were jamming up and water was ingressing into properties, and so that caused some damage.”
Emergency services also responded to numerous reports of fallen trees and downed powerlines across the region.
“Plenty of trees down, powerlines down, so it was a really good example of our training. We were able to mobilise quickly some significant resources,” Day added.
Authorities continue to assess storm damage while clean-up operations remain underway. Residents have been urged to remain cautious around damaged structures, fallen powerlines, and debris left behind by the severe weather.
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