Homes damaged, powerlines down in Bunbury as possible tornado or microburst rips through city
Winds of more than 100 kilometres an hour swept through the South West of WA last night, with damage reported in a suburb of East Bunbury.
www.abc.net.auHere’s the latest I can share based on current public reporting:
-
A severe weather event in Bunbury, WA, on April 20–21, 2026, triggered significant damage in East Bunbury with reports of roofs lifting, trees down, and power outages affecting hundreds of properties. Authorities were assessing whether the event was a tornado or a microburst, with emergency services receiving multiple calls for assistance but no verified injuries reported at that time.[1][2][5]
-
The Bureau of Meteorology was investigating to confirm the exact mechanism (tornado vs microburst) using radar and damage evidence, while warn-and-response actions were taken for damaging winds across the South West region. Public updates emphasized ongoing clean-up and safety as assessments continued.[2][5]
-
Other local outlets and summary reports noted power restoration efforts and continued inquiries into the nature of the storm, with some coverage describing East Bunbury as the worst-hit area around the Bunbury Forum Shopping Centre.[4][1]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent official BoM statements or local council updates and summarize them, or create a quick map of reported damage areas using publicly available data. Would you prefer the BoM’s latest official briefing or a concise timeline of events?
Citations:
- Details on damage in East Bunbury and questions about tornado vs microburst.[5][1][2]
- BoM investigation and wind warnings for the South West.[2][5]
- Local mentions of the Bunbury Forum area as a focal point of damage.[1][4]