Once-in-a-decade storm hammers Australia's west coast

SYDNEY -- Australia's western coastline endured damaging wind and rain, as a "once-in-a-decade" storm struck on Sunday night and continued into Monday.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology warned of abnormally high tides and damaging surf spanning a distance of roughly 3,000 kilometers, from Albany to the Kimberley Coast.

Trees and powerlines knocked down by the storm created hazards and left more than 47,000 homes without power, according to reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, while several boats were blown ashore after breaking free from their moorings.

The State of Western Australia (WA) Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) acting assistant commissioner Jon Broomhall warned residents to take particular care securing their homes and property due to the unusual nature of the weather.

"So it's a once-in-a-decade-type system and it's from a different angle," Broomhall said.

"Normally our storms come from the south-west and this will come from the north-west so it will test people's buildings, sheds and all those unsecured items, so we're asking people to secure property and make sure everything loose is tied down."

The storm was the result of a system from ex-Tropical Cyclone Mangga interacting with a cold front over the Indian Ocean.