Fierce storms and lightning strikes have left the entire state of South Australia without power overnight.
Trains and trams were halted and traffic lights knocked out of action as one of the most ferocious storms in decades swept across the state.
Officials said damage to key facilities near the city of Port Augusta had forced the grid to shut down, and 1.6m people were left without power.
South Australia's premier said 80,000 lightning strikes were recorded.
This was an "unprecedented weather event", Jay Weatherill added.
Electricity has begun to be restored to the state capital, Adelaide, with full services expected to be back on by later on Thursday.
Adelaide saw traffic gridlock as officials struggled to restore power. South Australia's police commissioner declared a "major incident" in the state and people were asked to stay at home if possible.
SA Power Networks, which operates the electricity system in the state, said that it believed the problem started when its infrastructure in the Port Augusta area was damaged in the storm.
But the loss of power was not the only effect of the storm as it crossed the city. Adelaide investment adviser Jed Richards tweeted that he had seen lightning starting a fire in North Adelaide.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37495535
State's out
State's out
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”