Wild storm causes chaos across Geelong with SES inundated with calls for help

Residents across Geelong have been left reeling after a violent storm ripped through the city on Sunday night, with emergency services inundated with calls for assistance.

Flood damage near GMHBA Stadium.

Residents across Geelong have been left reeling after a violent storm ripped through the city on Sunday night, with emergency services inundated with calls for assistance.

More than 200 requests for help have been taken by the State Emergency Service (SES) in the last hour, with the bulk of them in Geelong.

Wild winds and heavy rainfall causing flash flooding have caused major damage in Belmont, South Barwon, Armstrong Creek, Highton, Corio and Lara, with reports of roofs and chimneys being destroyed, fallen trees and flooded homes.

It’s understood thousands across the city are without power after the storm hit about 7pm.

An SES spokesman said more than 109 requests for help had been taken from the South Barwon region, and more than 30 in the CBD and Corio.

Belmont, Armstrong Creek and Lara have been the most affected in terms of damage.

“It has been very widespread across Geelong,” he said.

“Wind damage and intense rainfall has caused flash flooding.

Flash flooding has closed roads across Geelong.

“We also received more than 60 calls for building damage.”

It’s understood the SES has been stretched for manpower and has called in assistance from neighbouring units.

More than 90 trees have fallen across Geelong.

“We will be getting to people as quickly as possible,” the SES spokesman said.

“We just ask for patience.”

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 8:20pm for Bannockburn, Geelong, Queenscliff, Lara, Werribee and Sorrento.

It’s likely to produce heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding and large hailstones.

“Damaging winds were detected near Bannockburn, the area west of Geelong City and waters off Portarlington,” the statement said.

“These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast.”

Wind and sheet lightning are forecast to affect Geelong City, waters off Point Cook and the area west of Lara by 8:50pm, and Lara, Ocean Grove and waters off Sandringham by 9:20pm.

The intensity of the storm caught many by surprise after the region sweltered through Sunday when temperatures hovered around 40C during the elite men’s cycling event for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Thousands of homes lost power around 7pm, with initial expectations that it would return by 10pm dashed after updates from Powercor indicated that 2.30am would be the earliest restoration.

People from across the region took to social media to relay the carnage the storm caused.

Some Highton residents were seen hurriedly sandbagging their houses in fear of more to come.

From north to south, it seemed like no suburb escaped unharmed.

Photos of flash flooding, lost roofs and uprooted trees indicated the breadth of damage.

It seems more is to come, with another front hitting at 8.30pm.

One woman in Belmont Kmart said she and other customers were ushered out of the store when the power went out.

“There were trees blocking roads when we got outside,” she said.

“It has been full on.”

More to come.

Have you been affected? Email images to [e-mail]

Originally published as Wild storm causes chaos across Geelong with SES inundated with calls for help