‘Thunderstorm asthma’ kills four

SYDNEY: An unprecedented “thunderstorm asthma” event has left four people dead and three fighting for their lives in Australia, with authorities scrambling yesterday to review their procedures after emergency services were overwhelmed.

Some 8,500 people have presented to hospital emergency departments, mostly in Melbourne, since a thunderstorm coincided with a high pollen count on Monday, causing asthma and hay fever sufferers respiratory problems, Victorian State Health Minister Jill Hennessy told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“When we’ve had people calling for ambulances – one call every four-and-a-half seconds at the peak – it was like having 150 bombs going off right across a particular part of metropolitan Melbourne.” – AFP