Storms threaten to hamper Queensland recovery effort

Dangerous thunderstorms are impacting Queensland's southeast, as the region tries to recover from wild weather at Christmas.  

North of Chinchilla in the Western Downs region, storms brought 6cm hailstones, while 4-5cm hail was reported at Tara on Saturday. 

Wind gusts reached 93km/h at Gympie, while 64mm of rain fell at Cedar Pocket Dam. 

The Sunshine Coast was also hammered by rain, with Beerburrum recording 110mm in two hours and Landsborough copping 67mm in just 30 minutes. 

Storm damage is seen in Oxenford
Thousands more customers have lost power in Queensland after more storms on Saturday.

"We're now entering another active period of thunderstorms," Bureau of Meteorology forecaster David Grant said. 

"There is potential for further isolated, very dangerous thunderstorms."

The weather bureau issued a flood watch for much of the southeast, covering the Gold Coast and Brisbane north to Rockhampton. 

"At this stage, we're not expecting widespread flooding but areas of heavy rain with thunderstorms could produce flash flooding as well as rapid rises in rivers, creeks and storm drains," senior meteorologist Jonathan How said.

On Sunday, storms are forecast to move inland, with giant hail possible from Charters Towers to Emerald.

About 133,000 Energex customers lost power earlier this week after a tornado and storms battered the region.

There were about 28,000 people still waiting for power to be reconnected, predominantly in the hardest-hit areas of the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan.

Queensland Energy chief executive Peter Scott said there had been another 5000 outages on the Sunshine Coast and 2500 at Moreton Bay after storms rolled through on Saturday morning. 

Queensland Premier Steven Miles said some people might be without power for another week. 

"The fact is if they're still without power that's because connecting their power is complicated and complex," he said.

"The crews are doing a great job - they're doing everything they can."

Storm damage on the Gold Coast.
The SES has received 3824 requests for assistance across Queensland's southeast since Christmas Day.

Nicole Fraser-Lyons told AAP she was still without power, water or phone reception at the Gold Coast hinterland home she shares with her husband, three-year-old son and her parents-in-law.

"Our fridge and freezer aren't coping very well on the generator," she said.

"Every time you plug a fan or something like that in, it cuts out the generator because it can't supply that kind of power.

"The stopping and the starting of the generator and the surges can actually break your fridges as well so we're just waiting for our fridges to give out."

Ms Fraser-Lyons said in the meantime her family was living in limbo.

"I understand that they're working really hard and doing their best but it's just the unknown especially with another storm coming," she said.

Queensland Police said there were still 16 intersections on the Gold Coast without traffic lights due to power outages.

Storm damage on the Gold Coast
NSW and Victorian State Emergency Services volunteers are set to help colleagues on the Gold Coast.

Commissioner Katarina Carroll warned people to avoid the roads if possible, especially in severe thunderstorms.

"The conditions are pretty atrocious," she said.

Queensland's Disaster Recovery Minister Nikki Boyd said six homes had been "totally destroyed" by storms since Christmas Day. 

She said the SES had received 3824 requests for assistance across Queensland's southeast in the same period.

There were 180 Queensland SES volunteers already working to repair roofs and clear trees, a spokeswoman for Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said. 

They are being joined by 48 NSW SES volunteers, while 88 Victorian volunteers are expected to start work on Sunday.

Storm-related activity has claimed the lives of seven people in Queensland since Christmas. 

NSW and Victoria received their share of storms too, with three people killed on Boxing Day.

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