Tributes have poured in for a young woman fatally struck by lightning on a sporting field as Australia’s east coast braces for more wild weather.
Flowers have been left at the Queensland soccer ground where tragedy struck as a community mourns the 21-year-old victim, identified as Finley Bone.
She was reportedly practising her goal kicking at the Sunshine Coast’s Cooroy Sporting Complex when the fatal lightning strike hit late on Thursday.
Ms Bone was transported to Nambour Hospital in a critical condition but could not be revived.
Ms Bone was a “much-loved” member of the Noosa Lions Football Club, which shared a tribute to her on social media.
“A beautiful soul, taken way too soon,” one person posted.
Soccer fields at the sporting complex were closed on Friday out of respect.
Her mother Donna Markert said “no one can believe this happened”.
“Fin had her life taken away in a minute,” she told ABC News.
The complex is the home ground of Cooroora United Football Club, which also paid tribute.
“Out of privacy for those directly impacted, it is not yet appropriate to share details of the incident,” the club said in a statement.
“Those in and around the grounds, including both members and emergency services, showed admirable action, respect and care for each other.
“We ask our CUFC community remain respectful online, avoid any unhelpful speculation, and check in with one another.”
Police are preparing a report for the coroner.
Sunshine Coast Police Chief Inspector Jason Overland said it was a “tragic incident”.
Noosa Mayor Frank Wilkie said it was “heartbreaking”.
“On behalf of the Noosa community, I offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of young woman Finley Bone who tragically passed away in an incident at Cooroy Sports Complex yesterday evening,” he said.
“This heartbreaking event has deeply saddened our community, particularly the Noosa and Cooroora football families, her team-mates and our thoughts and prayers are with all those grieving.
“Noosa Council is assisting with support services, and we stand ready to provide any assistance required to family, friends, and community organisations during this incredibly difficult time. Free assistance can also be found at Lifeline Australia, 24 hours a day, on 13 11 14.”
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a thunderstorm warning for the Sunshine Coast on Friday afternoon, for “large, possibly giant hailstorms, damaging locally destructive winds and heavy rainfall”. Hail, about 3cm wide, was reported at Peregian Beach at 2.05pm.
The BOM also predicted storms on Saturday, saying that “severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, large hail, heavy rain are forecast for central and South-East Queensland. Very dangerous storms with giant hail, destructive winds, intense rain pose a risk.”
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The lightning tragedy unfolded after the BOM’s radar crashed as severe storms struck the region.
The weather bureau has faced heavy criticism after the launch of its new website on October 22, three weeks after the official beginning of storm season in Queensland, with politicians warning lives had been put at risk.
“The ‘rain rate’ radar images were not updating on the bureau’s website and the BOM Weather app for a brief time yesterday,” a bureau spokesman said in a statement.
“The bureau’s forecasts and warnings were not impacted by this outage and continue to be published on the bureau’s website, the BOM Weather app and our social media channels.”
The bureau will face another test this weekend with dangerous conditions developing across Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
More wild weather has been forecast including giant hail, destructive winds and tornadoes.
“It’s a pretty potent storm set up for the next couple of days in particular,” senior forecaster Kimba Wong said.
“We’ve seen a couple of lightning strikes with a few storm cells up northwest of Brisbane … it’s just indicative that the atmosphere is ready to go.
“The ingredients are all there for potentially some severe storms to occur.”
Severe “supercell” storms are expected to develop on Saturday, bringing cyclonic winds, giant hail averaging 5cm in diameter, heavy rain and flash flooding.
The most dangerous activity is expected across South-East Queensland and northern NSW, including tornadoes, with storms in Victoria beginning to ease across the weekend.
“We could see a tornado occurring with the intense storms that we see developing over the next couple of afternoons, particularly into tomorrow, inland of South-East Queensland,” Ms Wong said.
“It would be very brief and localised, but we definitely couldn’t completely rule out one or two tornadoes occurring somewhere.”
Ms Wong said the Sunshine Coast tragedy was a devastating demonstration of the potential danger of storms.
“It just goes to show that any thunderstorm is potentially life-threatening,” she said.
