A wedding reception in Sydney took an unexpected turn when severe thunderstorms battered the city, leaving guests scrambling to protect the venue from rain and hail.
The unusual scene unfolded on October 3, when heavy rain and large hailstones hit parts of New South Wales. As water and hail accumulated on the roof of the wedding venue, a section of the covering began to sag, prompting guests to step in and help.
Guests turn into an unlikely rescue team
Video footage circulating on social media showed several wedding guests using wooden chairs to prop up the affected portion of the roof. Dressed in suits and formal attire, they stood beneath the sagging section and pushed the chairs upwards in an attempt to prevent the accumulated water and hail from causing further damage.
The makeshift operation took place in the middle of the reception area, where tables had already been arranged with plates, glasses and napkins for the celebrations.
A large pocket of rainwater and hail could be seen weighing down the roof above the guests as they worked together to keep it from collapsing further.
One guest reportedly described the bizarre situation as “both alarming and slightly comical”, reflecting the unusual mix of concern and humour as the wedding party dealt with the worsening weather.
Hail covers wedding venue lawn
Footage from outside the venue also captured the intensity of the storm, with large hailstones scattered across the lawn as heavy rain lashed the area.
The extreme weather was not limited to the wedding venue. Severe thunderstorms swept across parts of New South Wales on October 3, bringing damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall capable of causing flash flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology had issued severe thunderstorm warnings for areas including Sydney, Wollongong, Penrith and Parramatta.
Severe storms keep emergency crews busy
The storms also triggered a major response from emergency services across the state. NSW State Emergency Service said it received more than 100 calls for assistance by 5pm on October 3, while crews responded to storm-related incidents in several areas.
The same weather system also brought an unusually intense event to Ulladulla, more than 220 km south of Sydney, where a tornado caused damage to properties, roofs, trees and powerlines.
