Tornado or not tornado...

Not prize-winning photos I'm afraid folks, but they do convey the damage. They were taken with my iPhone through the window as we were advised that it wasn't safe to enter the building. It doesn't look too bad from the front - apart from the wires hanging down, the sign in pieces and the tiles balancing precariously.

Now you can see the Real Estate's sign also crumpled on the ground. The Real Estate is the bright orange front of the building which stood out in some of the news footage of the destruction. At the top of the building, you can see the roof has peeled back. That  is the bit that didn't blow away. Most of the roof is lying on the ground on the other side of the building.

The next photo is inside, looking towards the rear of the store. It could look worse, but it probably doesn't matter because most of the books and CD's that you can see will have water damage to some extent. The carpet is totally drenched as you can tell from the water marks on the floor. The glarey bit at the top of the photo is the sky where part of the ceiling used to be. It is now a water feature dripping down on the stock below. No doubt, at the height of the storm, it would have been like a washing machine inside the store. The absent bit of ceiling can be seen leaning against the CD rack on the left.

This one is inside towards the front. Another large gaping hole can be seen and again rain is dripping down on the display below. More debris litters the floor. Sadly they were all geared up for a big sale that was to start today.

Out on the footpath was a power pole snapped off at ground level with wires all over the place. Townsville's (possible) first tornado ever.