'Terrifying' experience for WA family as storm tears roof off their home

Residents in southern Western Australia are grappling with the aftermath of the state's first significant cold front this year, which unleashed a powerful storm that devastated parts of the region. In East Bunbury, approximately 170 kilometers south of Perth, Rachel Corrin and her family endured a terrifying ordeal when the roof of their home was violently ripped away by the tempest.

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I was terrified, to be honest. It was almost like the entire roof got lifted off and then placed back down. There was water gushing everywhere from the rain and all the pipes and everything -- it was just pouring everywhere.

Corrin recounted the harrowing moments, describing the wind's roar as akin to a jet plane and the sensation of the entire roof being lifted and then slammed back down. The immediate aftermath saw water gushing through the house as the storm raged. The family, including Corrin's partner and their two young children, aged four and five, were forced to evacuate the structurally unsound home and are now seeking refuge with relatives.

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At the time the wind sounded like a jet plane coming in like for landing on the house almost. Then it was just a lot of banging and crashing and everything just went with it, it was all just instant. It happened in mere seconds.

While the Bureau of Meteorology is investigating whether the system was a tornado or a microburst, the impact on the ground was undeniable. Neighbors also reported hearing the destructive noise and experiencing a sudden power outage. The State Emergency Service (SES) responded to multiple calls in Bunbury, assisting residents like the Corrin family, though the damage in some cases was too severe for immediate repair, leaving homes unsafe. This event serves as a stark reminder of nature's power and the vulnerability of homes to extreme weather conditions in Western Australia.

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It was like a really loud, loud, loud like a scraping noise. I wasn't even sure what it was. All of a sudden the noise and then the flash of light — all the lights, everything went out, including the TV. There was actually a powerline streaming across the road — it was quite dangerous.