bjorn again veg
11-03-05, 11:24 PM
Lightning kills 106 cows
From: By Samantha Williams
November 03, 2005
LIGHTNING storms have robbed several farmers of their livestock in a series of strikes that have rocked regional NSW.
An unusual high pressure system over the Tasman Sea, pushing a strong northeasterly wind and blowing moisture over the state, has been blamed for the strikes.
Farmer Warwick Marks lost half of his annual income when lightning hit 71 registered dairy cows on his property at Dorrigo, west of Coffs Harbour, on the Mid-North Coast on Monday.
It killed 68 instantly and left three others paralysed for several hours. They later made a full recovery.
But it is not the first time Mr Marks has lost cattle to the elements.
Five years ago, 11 dairy cows were killed by lightning - just 500m from the latest strike.
"We've always had small losses but nothing of this magnitude," Mr Marks said. "We've gone through droughts and floods over the years but this is the worst thing we've ever experienced.
"It comes part and parcel of living on the Dorrigo plateau, which has red volcanic soil and high rainfall. The highest point always gets struck first.
"But it doesn't make it any easier."
Mr Marks failed to forecast the storm because thick fog descended just before it struck.
"You couldn't see 50m in front of you and when the rain eased, we couldn't believe what we saw," he said.
The $200,000 per year loss will take 10 years to recover from.
"We've lost half of our stock, half of our income ... it's something we'll never recover from," Mr Marks said.
"Insurance is out of the question because it's too dear and worth more than the cattle."
At Glen Innes, 200km away, another farmer lost 38 cows to lightning.
Terry Toohey, from the Dairy Farmers board, said it was impossible to protect livestock from electrical storms.
While thunderstorms were common at this time of year, humidity was not, Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Rob Webb said.
"The unusual humidity is triggering the large number of storms we have been facing," Mr Webb said.
Kattron Lightning Detection Network, a group which follows storms, detected more than 75,000 strikes hitting southeast Australia between October 24 and November 1. Of those, 500 were in the Dorrigo region.
A large part of inland NSW can expect thunderstorms tomorrow.
From: By Samantha Williams
November 03, 2005
LIGHTNING storms have robbed several farmers of their livestock in a series of strikes that have rocked regional NSW.
An unusual high pressure system over the Tasman Sea, pushing a strong northeasterly wind and blowing moisture over the state, has been blamed for the strikes.
Farmer Warwick Marks lost half of his annual income when lightning hit 71 registered dairy cows on his property at Dorrigo, west of Coffs Harbour, on the Mid-North Coast on Monday.
It killed 68 instantly and left three others paralysed for several hours. They later made a full recovery.
But it is not the first time Mr Marks has lost cattle to the elements.
Five years ago, 11 dairy cows were killed by lightning - just 500m from the latest strike.
"We've always had small losses but nothing of this magnitude," Mr Marks said. "We've gone through droughts and floods over the years but this is the worst thing we've ever experienced.
"It comes part and parcel of living on the Dorrigo plateau, which has red volcanic soil and high rainfall. The highest point always gets struck first.
"But it doesn't make it any easier."
Mr Marks failed to forecast the storm because thick fog descended just before it struck.
"You couldn't see 50m in front of you and when the rain eased, we couldn't believe what we saw," he said.
The $200,000 per year loss will take 10 years to recover from.
"We've lost half of our stock, half of our income ... it's something we'll never recover from," Mr Marks said.
"Insurance is out of the question because it's too dear and worth more than the cattle."
At Glen Innes, 200km away, another farmer lost 38 cows to lightning.
Terry Toohey, from the Dairy Farmers board, said it was impossible to protect livestock from electrical storms.
While thunderstorms were common at this time of year, humidity was not, Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Rob Webb said.
"The unusual humidity is triggering the large number of storms we have been facing," Mr Webb said.
Kattron Lightning Detection Network, a group which follows storms, detected more than 75,000 strikes hitting southeast Australia between October 24 and November 1. Of those, 500 were in the Dorrigo region.
A large part of inland NSW can expect thunderstorms tomorrow.