Track of Tropical Cyclone Grant in Australia's Top End as of Tuesday, Dec 27, 2011. (Australian Bureau of Meteorology)
Flash flooding unleashed by leftovers from Tropical Cyclone Grant has derailed a freight train and cut off a major highway in the Top End of Australia.
The derailment hurt two of the crew members, and two people swept from there swamped car had to be rescued from a tree, according to multiple reports.
Dramatic video footage on websites of the BBC and Australia's ABC showed scenes of water-borne devastation. Both rail and road were cut off by stupendous flood waters of the normally docile Edith River, between Pine Creek and Katherine, Northern Territory.
The derailed train's locomotive was apparently separated from the rest of the train during the incident, which left some of the cars well off the tracks. Some of the cargo was swept against the highway bridge, just down stream.
The trigger for the flooding was extreme rainfall of 20 to nearly 40 cm (8 to more than 15 inches), of rain unleashed within 24 hours by the dissipating tropical cyclone in the drainage of the Edith and Katherine Rivers, data on the website of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) showed. One site, Edith Falls Ridge, registered 38.5 cm, or 15.2 inches.
The incident happened well before daybreak on Tuesday, local time.
Meanwhile, forecasters with the BoM advised that the former cyclone could head back out to sea over the Gulf of Carpentaria, whereupon it can regain tropical cyclone status.
Some of the warmest weather of the year will continue across Alaska over the next few days, challenging more records.
Join us on Thursday for AccuWeather LIVE, we will discuss the debate of climate change and hurricane frequency and the top five things you need to know about summer weather.
Warmth is forecast to build over much of the eastern half of the nation by July, with Alaska of all places helping out.
A brief synopsis of the top five worst weather events of last summer.
A tornado touched down at Denver International Airport as a severe weather system moved through the area.
A dangerous outbreak of severe storms will strike the northern High Plains and Canadian Prairies on Wednesday.
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | N/A | |
| Low | N/A | |
| Precip | N/A |
Connecticut (1794)
A violent tornado started west of the Hudson River,
then travelled on to Poughkeepsie, Waterbury,
North Haven, Milford, and Branford line into Long
Island Sound. Extensive damage; funnel looked
like an "aurora borealis." At New Milford, 28
buildings were destroyed or damaged. A barn door
was carried 9 miles from its original site.
Atlanta, GA (1991)
3.47" of rain in 1 hour.
Amwell, NJ (1742)
A fatal hailstorm and severe thunderstorm
containing hail 4" in diameter killed one
child and did considerable damage to crops.
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