Wild Storms Create Havoc Downunder

Storms during the Feb 28 to March 1 weekend created havoc for Australian summer festivals and concerts across the country.

Photo: AP Photo / NASA

Heavy weather hitting Australia

The under-18 Good Life EDM festival at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse was stopped midway at 4 p.m.. Police evacuated the 20,000-strong crowd and reported no injuries. A male was arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Soundwave at Sydney Olympic Park was interrupted as the main stages and equipment became water-logged. Maryland’s All Time Low, which was performing at the time, returned for an acapella set before the all-clear was given an hour later and Papa Roach took the stage.

at Hanging Rock in Victoria, Australia.

In Victoria, the Eagles’ show at Hanging Rock took a 45-minute break when fierce storms hit midway through “Tequila Sunrise.” One of the giant video screens also became loose due to 100-kph winds.

Some acts flying into Perth for the EDM festival Future Music were delayed for inclement weather but promoters said the event was incident-free. A week before, safety was raised for indigenous singer-songwriter Hanging Rock Yunupingu when category four Cyclone Lam hit his remote Elcho Island.

Sixty homes were so damaged they are now uninhabitable but Yunupingu sent word that he and his family were safe.