Media statement on storm at campus

University of Queensland Secretary and Registrar Douglas Porter said his thoughts, and those of all UQ staff and students, were with the two school students who were injured during last Friday’s storm.

The students, part of a study group from South Korea, were struck by a tree that was brought down by the powerful storm that hit the St Lucia campus around 4.30pm.

One of girls has been released from hospital and the second remains in hospital with extensive injuries.

Thirty trees on the St Lucia campus, including six in the Great Court, were uprooted during the storm. The Bureau of Meteorology reported that winds in Brisbane ranged from 80 km/h up to 120 km/h.

Groundskeepers were called out to clean-up debris as soon as the storm had passed. A cherry picker was also brought in from Gatton campus to help clear hazardous tree branches.

Following the storm a risk assessment of the trees on campus will be carried out by Properties and Facilities.

UQ Property and Facilities director Alasdair McClintock said although many trees were brought down across the campus, property damage was minimal.

The roof of a School of Journalism and Communications building, Glousehouse II, the Goddard Building and the Richards building all suffered minor damage.

Falling trees brought down power lines in Walcott and Rock streets and damaged a number of cars, and Services Road was blocked by a fallen tree.

Flags from the Forgan Smith tower were blown off their flagpoles into the Great Court.

Media: For further information, contact Colleen Clur (telephone 3365 6062, 0413 380 012) or Lorann Downer (telephone 3365 1088, 0413 458 317).