Falllen trees have caused chaos A violent winter storm has blasted Victoria, leaving several people injured, trees toppled on cars, buildings damaged, snow in alpine regions and more than 80,000 homes without power across the state.
The State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 2500 calls on Tuesday as a strong cold front and an intense low pressure system combined to give Victoria an icy return to winter.
Up to one metre of snow is expected at some of the state's ski resorts by Wednesday as wind and rain persist overnight.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Kevin Parkyn said such an intense weather system, affecting the whole state, hits Victoria only once every few years.
"Victoria's mild start to winter certainly came to an abrupt halt today as a winter with a bomb brought wild winds, rain, hail and even snow across the alpine peaks," he said.
Peak gusts included 128km/h at Cape Otway, 122km/h at South Channel Beacon and 113km/h at Fawkner Beacon in Port Phillip Bay, 102km/h at Essendon Airport and 104km/h at Melbourne Airport.
During the wild weather a woman was injured after a brick wall collapsed in Yarraville and several drivers were also injured by trees falling onto their cars.
A woman was showered with glass when a tree fell on to her car in Werribee and a driver in Clunes was injured when a tree fell on the road.
In the city a woman was lucky to escape serious injury when she was struck by roof sheeting.
SES chief officer (operations) Trevor White said most calls for help came from southern Victoria including 1600 in metropolitan Melbourne. Around 700 calls across the state were for building damage, with most others for fallen trees.
He expected a surge in calls on Tuesday evening as people returned home to survey any damage.
Flying debris caused problems throughout the day with unsecured trampolines and garden furniture becoming dangerous missiles in the wind.
The west coast, including Warrnambool, was hard hit earlier in the day, with about 30 properties along the Merri River suffering minor flooding. Most damage was confined to outbuildings.
It also forced parents to collect their children from a Warrnambool kindergarten.
The Yarra River burst its banks at Southbank and other coastal flooding was recorded at Elwood and Frankston.
Mr White said winds cut power to more than 80,000 customers at the height of the storm.
The hardest-hit areas included Bacchus Marsh, Werribee, Point Cook, Bendigo, Bundoora, Watsonia North, Monbulk, Hawthorn and the Mornington Peninsula.
A spokesman for Powercor said crews are working to restore all services.
Roads across the state were cut by fallen trees and flash flooding.
Speed limits were reduced to from 80 to 40km/h on the 53-metre West Gate Bridge at the height of the storm.
Mr Parkyn said Victoria had not seen the last of the wild weather.
"We're in for a windy week, so it's not over yet, although we have seen the most intense winds for the week," he said.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24303852/wild-vic-winds-cause-damage-injuries/
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