Residents of The Gap, which bore the brunt of severe storms last night, were advised just before 3pm today that because the reservoir's roof had been covered in bird droppings and other animal faecal matter, water could now be hazardous to human health. The warning was extended to Enoggera, Mt Coot-tha and parts of Keperra about 4pm today.

Brisbane City Council advised residents to boil drinking water before drinking it. However, an Energex spokesman this afternoon confirmed some parts of The Gap would not have electricity restored for 48 hours - meaning they will have to rely on bottled water for their drinking supply.

The news came as it was revealed as many as 20,000 homes could still be without power as light fades this evening in Brisbane this evening. ""A large proportion of the people in The Gap don't have electricity restored," Energex spokesman Danny Donald said. "Parts of the Gap might not have power for the next 48 hours. Thankfully, most people out that way have gas stoves.

""I worked (during the recovery effort for) Cyclone Larry, and this is at that scale. It's not just restoring electricity, it's a full recovery effort now. "There are places where the network is just gone - power poles ripped out of the ground, power lines blown away. "Thirty-three kilometres of the electricity network is gone."

The Army has also been called in to help clear trees from power lines, to help put tarpaulins over homes and clear heavy vegetation as more storms and rain are predicted to hit Brisbane's storm-ravaged homes. "Energex is saying that even with all the work they are doing, they still expect 15,000 to 20,000 customers without power by 6pm tonight," Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said this afternoon.

Cr Newman this afternoon announced free tarpaulins were available for homeowners whose roofs were damaged by what he described as the worst storm seen in Brisbane since 1985. Tarpaulins can be signed-out by homeowners at the corner of Upper Kedron and Samford Roads at Ferny Grove until 8pm.

Cr Newman urged homeowners who were able to cover their roofs with tarpaulins without SES assistance to borrow the tarpaulins before 8pm. Speaking with Premier Anna Bligh today, Cr Newman described Brisbane's storm damage as "similar to Cyclone Larry" and said all efforts were being made to cover homes in a race against further rain tonight and tomorrow.

As of 1pm, there were still 54,900 homes without power, down from 200,000 homes without power in the peak of the storm yesterday afternoon. The storm yesterday afternoon ran from northern New South Wales, through Brisbane's north-western suburbs and up through the Sunshine Coast, creating havoc in the The Gap, Keperra, Albany Creek and Arana Hills.

Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said there were more than 1000 lightning strikes in the afternoon storm, which affected more than 200,000 homes, triggering 80,000 calls for help to State Emergency Service (SES) crews. This afternoon, the State Government and Brisbane City Council announced plans to activate National Disaster Assistance guidelines and for the Australian Army at Enoggera to be called in.

Cr Newman also offered to provide eight chainsaw teams and heavy equipment to move fallen trees and help restore power. He said it was likely some people would still be without power tonight. Eight Army crews with chainsaw skills are now being brought in to repair homes before light fades.

Brisbane will tonight be spared a repeat of yesterday's severe storms, with only light rain expected. However, storms are again expected to strike South-East Queensland on Wednesday. Weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said rainfall tonight would not exceed a few millimetres.

In the past 24 hours, Mr Pearce said rainfall had totalled 107mm at Morayfield, 102mm at Moorina, while The Gap - which bore the brunt of the severe weather yesterday - received 66mm. "There are heavier falls out towards the Darling Downs (later today), but the Brisbane area falls will be less than 5mm," he said.

More heavy falls are predicted for Wednesday, with the wet weather continuing for the rest of the week. "We'll be getting more thunderstorms on Wednesday night. It's looking showery for right up to the weekend," Mr Pearce said. Cr Newman urged homeowners who were able to cover their roofs with tarpaulins without SES assistance to borrow the tarpaulins before 8pm.

Speaking with Premier Anna Bligh today, Cr Newman described Brisbane's storm damage as "similar to Cyclone Larry" and said all efforts were being made to cover homes in a race against further rain tonight and tomorrow. As of 1pm, there were still 54,900 homes without power, down from 200,000 homes without power in the peak of the storm yesterday afternoon.

The storm yesterday afternoon ran from northern New South Wales, through Brisbane's north-western suburbs and up through the Sunshine Coast, creating havoc in the The Gap, Keperra, Albany Creek and Arana Hills.

Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said there were more than 1000 lightning strikes in the afternoon storm, which affected more than 200,000 homes, triggering 80,000 calls for help to State Emergency Service (SES) crews. This afternoon, the State Government and Brisbane City Council announced plans to activate National Disaster Assistance guidelines and for the Australian Army at Enoggera to be called in.

Cr Newman also offered to provide eight chainsaw teams and heavy equipment to move fallen trees and help restore power. He said it was likely some people would still be without power tonight. Eight Army crews with chainsaw skills are now being brought in to repair homes before light fades.

Brisbane will tonight be spared a repeat of yesterday's severe storms, with only light rain expected. However, storms are again expected to strike South-East Queensland on Wednesday. Weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said rainfall tonight would not exceed a few millimetres.

In the past 24 hours, Mr Pearce said rainfall had totalled 107mm at Morayfield, 102mm at Moorina, while The Gap - which bore the brunt of the severe weather yesterday - received 66mm. "There are heavier falls out towards the Darling Downs (later today), but the Brisbane area falls will be less than 5mm," he said.

More heavy falls are predicted for Wednesday, with the wet weather continuing for the rest of the week. "We'll be getting more thunderstorms on Wednesday night. It's looking showery for right up to the weekend," Mr Pearce said.

(Brisbane Times, 18/11/2008)