Severe weather warning for Perth and South West

UPDATE: The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has cancelled the severe weather warning.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has urged residents living in the Perth Metropolitan area and the South West to prepare for severe thunderstorms today. 

If you live in Lower West and South West districts you should take action and stay safe with severe weather to come.

Locations which may be affected include Bunbury, Mandurah and Perth.

This weather is not unusual for this time of year, but could damage homes and make travel dangerous.

WHAT TO DO:

• If outside find safe shelter away from trees, powerlines, storm water drains and streams.
• Close your curtains and blinds, and stay inside away from windows.
• Unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephones if there is lightning.
• If there is flooding, create your own sandbags by using pillow cases filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home.
• If boating, swimming or surfing leave the water.

IF DRIVING:

• Do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.
• Slow down, turn your lights on and keep a safe distance from other drivers.
• Be alert and watch for hazards on the road such as fallen powerlines and loose debris.
• If it is raining heavily and you cannot see, pull over and park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears.

WEATHER DETAILS:
At 29/05/2021 04:37:00 the Bureau of Meteorology advised a cold front is moving over the western and southern parts of the State. A period of heavy showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected over the warning area during Saturday morning with HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING possible. Tides will also be higher than expected within the warning area. Conditions area expected to ease during Saturday afternoon, although shower and thunderstorm activity is likely to continue during the remainder of Saturday. Showers continuing on Sunday. Jarrahdale has received 31.6 millimetres since 9am Friday, with falls of up to 28 millimetres in the metropolitan area and at Brunswick Junction. The majority of rainfall has been recorded since 6pm Friday evening.

ROAD CLOSURES AND CONDITIONS:

Roads have not been closed.

Road information may also be available from Main Roads WA by calling 138 138 or visiting travelmap.mainroads.wa.gov.au or by contacting your Local Government Authority.

WHAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DOING:

DFES is monitoring the situation.

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE:

If it is safe to do so, please do what you can to help yourself before calling the SES for assistance.

If your home has been badly damaged by a storm, call the SES on 132 500.

In a life threatening situation call 000.

After a storm SES volunteers make temporary repairs to homes that have been badly damaged, such as roofs that have been ripped off or large fallen trees on homes or cars. Please contact your insurance company to organise permanent repairs.

KEEP UP TO DATE:

Visit emergency.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter: twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: facebook.com/dfeswa, listen to ABC Local Radio, 6PR, or news bulletins.

During a power outage, your home phone, computer or other electronic devices connected to the NBN will not work. Include a battery powered radio in your emergency kit.

Updates will be provided when the situation changes.