When Manendra Kopparthi tragically attempted to remove a fallen branch on a wet Queensland road, he was embodying the good-citizen ethos for which he was known. The 30-year-old IT professional, described by his wife as a generous and kind-hearted man, was electrocuted in December 2023 while trying to clear debris caused by a massive thunderstorm in Brisbane.
The storm had brought down large gum tree branches in Murarrie, a suburb on the city’s east side, where they became entangled with powerlines owned by Energex, the state-owned electricity distributor. Despite warnings about the dangers of hidden electrical cables, Mr. Kopparthi’s attempt to help others ended in tragedy.
The Incident and Immediate Reactions
On that fateful day, Mr. Kopparthi and his wife were driving in their grey hatchback when they encountered the fallen branch. As he stepped out to clear the road, he was unaware of the powerline hidden within the vegetation. The electrocution occurred around 5 p.m., leaving the community in shock and mourning.
Energex attributed the incident to the storm’s severity, which had ripped branches into powerlines. The Electrical Safety Office’s investigation supported this, indicating the storm’s impact rather than vegetation mismanagement as the cause. However, the tragedy has sparked renewed concerns about the safety of overhead powerlines in Queensland, a state frequently battered by chaotic storms.
Vegetation Management and Safety Concerns
The fatality has brought attention to the practices surrounding vegetation management near powerlines. Energex stated that trees had been inspected for compliance with vegetation rules months before the incident. Yet, photographs from an ABC investigation showed branches still growing over the powerlines the day after Mr. Kopparthi’s death.
Former Energex engineer Ben McCourtie criticized the current clearing standards, highlighting the need for public safety questions regarding potentially dangerous infrastructure. He emphasized the importance of understanding how such incidents occur and what preventative measures could be implemented.
Comparative Approaches to Vegetation Management
Different regions have varying guidelines for managing vegetation near powerlines. In Queensland, branches are allowed to grow over powerlines in some instances, provided they are stable and not easily climbable. In contrast, Western Australia enforces stricter rules, requiring vegetation to be cleared to the sky on the sides of powerlines after formal risk assessments.
New Zealand faced similar challenges and initially mandated the removal of all overhanging foliage after significant power outages. However, the requirement was later relaxed for urban lower-voltage lines due to potential disputes and costs.
Calls for Underground Powerlines
The tragedy has reignited discussions about moving powerlines underground, a measure previously recommended by a coroner following a similar incident in Ipswich in 1998. High-voltage lines, which automatically cut power when broken, were moved underground in the area where Mr. Kopparthi died, but the low-voltage lines that caused his death remained above ground.
While the cost of undergrounding all powerlines in Queensland is estimated at over $50 billion, experts like former Energex engineer Mr. Millers argue that focusing on urban areas could reduce costs and prevent fatalities from incidents like cars hitting electricity poles.
Storm Frequency and Climate Change
Queensland’s southeast is a hotspot for severe thunderstorms, with federal studies indicating two damaging storms typically strike the area annually. Climate scientists, including Andrew Dowdy from the University of Melbourne, warn that global warming is increasing the conditions conducive to severe thunderstorms.
Future Steps and Safety Measures
In response to the tragedy, Energex has emphasized the importance of public awareness about the dangers of fallen powerlines. The company has a history of promoting safety warnings, although past reviews criticized it for inadequate vegetation management spending.
Recent internal audits revealed several incidents where vegetation was likely to contact powerlines despite previous maintenance. Energex has since replaced the low-voltage lines in the street where Mr. Kopparthi died with bundled, insulated cables, a theoretically safer option.
The tragic death of Manendra Kopparthi underscores the urgent need for consistent and effective vegetation management and infrastructure safety practices. As Queensland continues to face severe weather events, the call for improved safety measures and potential undergrounding of powerlines remains a critical issue for public safety.
