Australia catches hail the size of a golf ball, reduces wildfire slightly

As expected, heavy hailstorms struck Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. On January 19, on social networks, kangaroos shared photos of stones as big as golf balls pouring down on their yards.

According to the News , the hailstorms were so strong that they could break branches. People are warned that they are in danger and need to seek safe shelter in the home immediately.

The hail is as big as a golf ball posted by Twitter user named emmaatkinson - (Image: Emma Atkinson)

Emergency alerts are issued in many areas of Melbourne at 16 o'clock (Australian time).

The Meteorological Agency said "dangerous typhoons" are moving along east Melbourne and the southeast suburbs with strong winds, hail and heavy rain, to be alert for flash floods.

Krystian Seibert, a resident of the Hawthorn area, said: "I have lived in Melbourne for a long time but I have never seen a rainstorm so dreadful. Hailstones are as big as a golf ball as if they were fired from a catapult ".

According to the News , from 12h to 18h in Australia, there were 884 calls to emergency services, of which, 628 calls reported cases of damaged houses, 106 calls to report flooding. floods and 130 calls for fallen tree cases.

Large hailstones crushed Melbourne's trees - (Image: Justine Conway)

According to experts, this weather condition is both good news (reducing the heat of forest fires) and also bad news for Victoria.

Although the central and eastern parts of the state will change to heavier, more thunderstorms, but in areas where the rain cannot be transferred, lightning may pose a risk of new forest fires. Some fires will reduce their intensity, but new ones may arise in areas hit by lightning.

In addition, heavy rain will lead to a lot of rubbish, tree branches, . clogging roads and potentially high landslides.

At present, some wildfires in the southern part of Victoria, especially 6 French forest fires, still burn out of control, although the fire has not spread further. Victoria fire forces forecast they can control the fire at the end of January 19.

"The fires have stopped spreading. We have established surrounding fire control belts. Heavy storms in central and eastern Victoria will have an impact on reducing the heat of wildfires on French Island , " the agency said. Victoria state fire said.

French Island only had about 119 residents according to the 2016 census but is a popular tourist destination and is home to many koala, Australia's iconic animals, living.

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