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STEVEN HARLAND
Locals posted online images showing injured and distressed animals
Tornadoes and a "supercell" storm swept Queensland Australia, injuring four people and causing considerable damage.
The dangerous weather system hit Thursday the southeast of the state, announced the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
A tornado hit Tansey, a town 250 km north of Brisbane, breaking trees and tearing roofs off houses.
Elsewhere, four people were injured when the size of a tennis ball was hit by hail, officials said.
One of them, Fiona Simpson, has posted online pictures of bruises and wounds on her body.
"I've covered my baby with my body to prevent it from getting hurt seriously … never drive in a hail storm," she said about the incident that occurred in the city of Kingaroy.
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FIONA SIMPSON
Fiona Simpson was injured protecting her baby
The country's strongest tornadoes form in supercells – a type of storm often accompanied by devastating hail.
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But Australia's funnels are generally smaller and weaker than in the United States, said University of Queensland geography professor Hamish McGowan, at The Australian.
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FIONA SIMPSON
Simpson says injuries cover her head, back and shoulders
On Thursday, hailstones and strong winds reaching 98 km / h caused extensive damage to buildings and crops. Social media users have also reported injuries to animals.
Steven Harland, a local resident, described the storm as "quite intense," telling the BBC that he had witnessed "flash floods, countless trees and damage caused by the hail to vehicles ".
"This is only a reminder of what Mother Nature can do in such a short time," he said.
The storm has also cut off the power of more than 1,300 properties, reported the Australian Associated Press.
