About 20,000 properties still without power, branches down on main roads as strong winds lash Adelaide

An eastern suburbs woman has told of the moment she found out her car had been crushed by a tree during Adelaide’s wild storm, while 11,900 homes remain without power.

Power outages caused 10 schools or childcare centres to close Monday following a night of wild weather in Adelaide.

Marryatville High School, Unley High School, Glen Osmond Primary School, Paradise Primary, Coorara Primary, Adelaide East Education Centre, Fairview Park Primary, Banksia Park Primary, il Nido Children’s Centre and Modbury West School were all closed as of 11.45am Monday.

Emergency services responded to hundreds of reports of trees down across the city and thousands of homes without power.

Since about 4.45am Monday, the State Emergency Service has responded to 433 incidents of trees down or wild weather damage, with more than 17 still ongoing.

At the peak of the outages, more than 51,000 properties were without power.

By about 9.30pm, more than 11,900 customers were still affected by 77 power outages across the city.

Bella Bernardi’s car was “pretty damaged” after a huge branch came crashing down on top of it last night.

She told The Advertiser she had heard the wind but it wasn’t until a friend drove past her house on the way to their work that she learned of the damage outside.

“My mate had to be the bearer of bad news and texted that I might want to step outside and take a look,” Bella said.

“The front windscreen is all ruined and shattered and the front looks damaged.

“I reported it to the CFS then had to go to work – I guess I’ll see what I’m dealing with later tonight.

“Thank God we were not in the car.”

Bella Bernardi and partner Jack Carruthers, looking at Bella’s car crushed by a huge lemon-scented gum branch. Picture Dean Martin

Bella Bernadi’s car was crush by a huge branch on Greenhill Rd at Hazelwood Park. Picture: Dean Martin

In an email to parents this morning, Marryatville High School said it had to close “due to a range of basic services being unavailable such as toilets, phones, lights, security”.

“For this reason, we are asking parents to make every effort to arrange for your child to leave the site as soon as possible,” wrote Deputy Principal Julie Ferguson.

A parent whose child attends the school said students were still waiting to be picked up after the school was forced to close.

“Luckily I managed to check my email,” they said.

The parent said they were unable to contact the school because of the outage.

“It’s not a very good emergency response,” they said.

“They really need to have a better process for that.

“It’s quite frustrating.”

An Education Department spokeswoman said parents and carers were notified of closures “as promptly as possible”.

The spokeswoman said NAPLAN protocols were in place so schools due to hold tests on Monday were able to reschedule.

No damage was been reported at any government school.

The trampoline. Picture: Brett Williams.

In Adelaide’s southern suburbs, Brett Williams woke to a shock after gusts swept through, with a neighbour’s trampoline landing in his Morphett Vale backyard.

“It was more just shock really,” Mr Williams said.

“The first thing I thought was ‘How am I going to get that back in their yard?’”

Mr Williams said the trampoline had flown between 10 and 20 metres from his neighbour’s yard before crashing into the playground in his backyard about 5am.

“We had a few things blow around but nothing shocking like the neighbours,” he said.

Mr Williams said he now knew where the trampoline had come from but had not had a chance to speak with his neighbours yet.

SA Power Networks spokesman Paul Roberts said additional crews would be mobilised from regional depots in Murray Bridge, Mount Barker and Angaston to meet increased demand, while volunteers would also be used to man downed power lines until crews could attend.

Mr Roberts said it would be difficult to provide an estimated time power would be reconnected for customers across Adelaide until crews were able to assess the damage at each location.

A fallen tree damaging a Stobie pole and powerlines at Modbury. Picture: Milly Wise

Milly Wise, of Modbury, surveys the buckled mess caused by the big tree.

Power outages are mainly concentrated in Adelaide’s eastern and northeastern suburbs, including about 3500 homes and businesses without power around Redwood Park, 2500 around Athelstone and 2000 around both Modbury and Magill. However the western suburbs did not go unscathed, with many people also reporting damage there.

Power is also out at the University of South Australia’s Magill campus, with estimates it should be restored by 4pm.

Strathspey Ave, Hazelwood Park. Picture: Dean Martin

This house on corner of Howard Tce, Hazelwood Park, had a lucky escape after a branch fell. Picture Dean Martin

Did you take a great photo or video of the wild wind damage? Email it to [e-mail]

The SES responded to more than 350 incidents across Adelaide after strong winds on Monday morning, including on Greenhill Rd at Hazelwood Park. Picture: Kara Jung

Modbury resident Milly Wise was woken by the sound of a tree crashing down on a Stobie pole.

“So, we were in bed at about 7:45 and I heard an almighty creak and then a very loud bang, which was power poles bending. Ever since we moved in three years ago I’ve been nervous about the limbs on our very big tree coming down on our bedroom, and thankfully they fell the other way! We’ve had the tree checked by the council before but they didn’t want to lop it,” she said.

“Unfortunately we now have no power but are grateful nobody was hurt. I’ve never jumped out of bed so fast in my life! On windy days I’m terrified of just this happening, so am relieved it has without injury or damage.”

A fallen tree at Modbury. Picture: Milly Wise

Howard Tce, Hazelwood Park. Picture Dean Martin

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Hannah Marsh said strong “gully winds” had reached 85km/h at Sellicks Hill about 3am Monday.

Gusts also reached 75km/h at Noarlunga about 5am.

“We have see some significant gusts,” Ms Marsh said.

She said strong gully winds were “not uncommon” after a dry summer.

“Coming out of summer not having had a large amount of rainfall, can result in more impacts,” Ms Marsh said.

Ms Marsh said winds would ease Monday morning before picking back up Monday night and Tuesday morning.

“The wind speeds are still strong but the gusts aren’t as strong as they were earlier,” she said.

“These will continue to ease as the morning goes on.”

BOM Meteorologist Jenny Horvat said winds between 50km/h and 60km/h could be expected Monday night and Tuesday morning, but gusts were unlikely to be as strong as Monday morning.

“We have seen the strongest ones,” she said.

However, she said a possible thunderstorm forecast for Monday night could increase the severity of gully winds.

“There’s always that chance,” she said.

“We can see some gusts within the storm.”

She said the gusts could reach up to 80km/h.

Fallen branches strewn across Greenhill Rd at Tusmore and Hazelwood Park. Picture: Kara Jung

The strong winds weren’t just confined to Adelaide’s east. A fallen tree blocks a footpath at Warradale.

SES current state duty officer Corey Fraser said six crews responded to incidents from metropolitan Adelaide to Noarlunga overnight.

“While the winds appear to be easing, crews will be responding as people arise to start their working week,” he said on Monday morning.

SES crews from Tea Tree Gully, Salisbury, Campbelltown, Noarlunga, Sturt and Eastern Adelaide were responding to the incidents about 6am Monday.

The SES incident map showed the majority of incidents had been reported in Adelaide’s east towards the Adelaide Hills.

One foothills resident said debris on Greenhill Rd at Hazelwood Park had made the road “like an obstacle course” on Monday morning.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. I was terrified driving to work.”