The Bureau of Meteorology says a possible tornado could have caused the extensive power outage in Far West New South Wales as SA's Energy Minister confirms mining operations at Olympic Dam will be down for up to a week following storms in SA's north.
Parts of SA were hit with 130 kilometre per hour wind gusts , and over 130,000 lightning strikes in 24 hours, with mining operations at Olympic Dam impacted.
South Australia's Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said seven towers had been destroyed and confirmed that Olympic Dam would "cease mining operations for five to seven days". A BHP spokesperson said electrical storms in the South Australia's north had caused structural damage to transmission lines, including the two lines that supply Olympic Damn and Roxby Downs.
"Generally speaking the southern parts of the mid north probably had the highest falls, with Snowtown 44 millimetres, Freeling 36mm, even Nuriootpa had 34mm," he said."By the end of today we'll see a marked decrease in shower activity," he said.Roxby Downs Council chief executive Roy Blight said the wind in the area was extreme, causing a sandstorm.
Wind Gusts Bureau Of Meteorology Lightning
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