12:30pm, Wednesday February 21: TasNetworks say close to 2,000 homes and business across St Helens are now without power.
The cause remains under investigation, with an estimated restoration time yet to be confirmed.
Earlier: Hundreds have been left without power across Tasmania’s north-east coast as a severe thunderstorm sweeps through the region this afternoon.
The Break O’Day Council in St Helens say power and internet services are intermittently dropping in and out across the town, with the outages also affecting their phone system.
“If you need to contact Council, please use facebook messenger for now. Please stay safe out there,” they said.
The Ochre Medical Centre is also among the impacted businesses and has asked patients to be patient with staff.
“The power is currently out across St Helens. This is affecting the medical centre including our phone lines. If you have an appointment and do not require it please give us a call tomorrow to rebook,” they said.
TasNetworks list around 200 customers in Falmouth, St Helens and Four Mile Creek to be disconnected due to lightning in the area.
The outages are expected to last until mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
Tasmania Police have issued a hazardous road warning for the Tasman Highway between Pyengana and St Helens due to flooding across the road.
“There are reports of water over the road on the Tasman Highway between Pyengana and St Helens as a result of the heavy rain currently being experienced,” police said.
“If you are in the area affected by the storm, please restrict all non-essential travel. If you do need to be on the road, please drive to the conditions.”
The Bureau of Meteorology indicates that the weather situation was triggered by a “moist unstable atmosphere” and anticipates heavy rainfall and flash flooding to persist across St Helens and Scamander into the afternoon.
The weather is expected to clear by Thursday ahead of an expected heatwave across all of Tasmania.
