Over 25,000 Victorians were left without power on Sunday after massive thunderstorms swept through the state. The brutal weather blew down trees, tore tiles from the roofs of houses and flooded streets. Emergency services received almost 400 calls from residents who required assistance.
The storms swept across western Victoria in the afternoon. Weather officials issued a warning of hazardous conditions but later cancelled it after the situation improved. Citipower and Powercor customers were mostly those who lost power. The power companies announced restoration of lights by 9 p.m. Sunday.
West Gets Hammered Worst
Werribee and Hoppers Crossing on Melbourne’s west side were hit hard. Emergency services summed up 215 houses and buildings damaged and 80 trees downed across the state. Water rushed so strongly that some of the Newport shops had flooded up to their front doors. Even Flinders Street in the city became flooded.
Seemed Like A Fight Occurred
A woman informed journalists that the street resembled a fight that had just occurred there. Photos throughout Melbourne’s west depicted large trees strewn across roads, crashing into automobiles and clogging driveways. Roofing material lay shattered in backyards where wind had torn them away from homes.
Emergency officials reported most of those 395 assist calls were received Sunday afternoon when storms were peaking hardest. Rescue teams had been responding all day to downed trees, destroyed buildings and water covering all streets in the affected areas.
News At Glance
- More than 25,000 Victorians had no electricity after massive storms on Sunday afternoon
- Emergency services received 395 requests for assistance mainly from western Melbourne suburbs
- Werribee and Hoppers Crossing were hit hardest with 215 buildings and houses affected
- Storms felled 80 trees throughout Victoria and inundated Melbourne streets
- One woman described the storm as a tornado with wind blowing roof tiles from homes
FAQs
Q: How many people had their power cut off during the storms?
More than 25,000 Victorians lost power mainly in Melbourne and the west with power restored by 9pm Sunday.
Q: What areas were hit hardest?
Werribee and Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne’s western suburbs received the most emergency calls for assistance.
Q: How much damage occurred?
Emergency services tallied 215 homes and buildings destroyed and 80 trees toppled across Victoria plus lots of flooding.
Q: Is the weather warning still current?
No the weather experts cancelled the warning for western Victoria after the storms passed through.
Q: What type of damage did people observe?
Heavy rain caused flooding that reached shop doors in some areas. Strong winds blew roof tiles off houses knocked down tons of trees and caused damage flooding all over.
______
For more such Australian breaking news and leadership insights, explore Inspirepreneur Magazine.
