Yankalilla hit hard by storm, person trapped after tree falls on car near Williamstown, northeast of Adelaide as wild winds lash SA
Clean-up crews around SA have been left stunned by the devastation unleashed by South Australia’s wild weather, which has seriously injured a driver.
SA News
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A driver is in a serious condition after a falling tree smashed down on top of a travelling Ford Ranger and the person trapped in the ute on a rural road, as wild winds – dubbed a tornado by some householders – continue to lash SA.
Emergency services were called to Warren Rd at Williamstown near Hale Conservation Park, northeast of Adelaide just before 11.30am on Tuesday where a gum tree came down on top of a ute driving along the road.
According to SA Police, members of the public, with a grader and chainsaws, helped emergency crews remove the tree from the roof of the ute and free the trapped driver and a dog.
The driver was taken to hospital by ambulance in a serious condition and the dog looks to have escaped injury and is being cared for.
The incident sparked a call for the Medstar helicopter.
It comes after the Bureau of Meteorology warned of damaging winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts of up to 100 km/h.
Emergency services worked to clear the road and the ute was towed from the scene.
Police thanked the public and local volunteers for their help.
The wild weather has also whipped through Yankalilla in the state’s south, leaving trees decimated, and homes with major storm damage.
Fallen trees littered the southern town with crews working to cut up branches and clear streets.
One worker, Adrian, had been called out first thing on Tuesday morning to help with the clean-up, not realising just how much damage the wild weather had caused.
“It was like a big tornado just hit all at once,” he said.
The worst of the damages was around the Yankalilla Area School, where Adrian was working to clear debris after a tree had fallen and destroyed a chain-link fence.
“There’s just destruction,” Adrian said.
“It just came through here (by the school) at about 7am this morning.
“One of the blokes from work went and grabbed a coffee before calling back and saying ‘you better get down here boys’.
“The trees have just been destroyed, and obviously it’s flattened the fence with it.”
Yankalilla local Amy Vaughan said she and her husband were asleep when there was a loud bang, the sound of roof tiles falling from their home.
“We were fast asleep and there was a really loud bang, then just that ramping up of wind and wind pressure,” Ms Vaughan said.
“The way the wind whipped up, it was almost like a wind tunnel, it just flung stuff around.
“We thought our trampoline had gone on the roof. We saw the trampoline was still there but roof tiles were everywhere.”
Ms Vaughan said the wild wind also ripped down her side gate and fence, and one of the fallen roof tiles made a hole in the top of their family caravan.
“We were supposed to go on a caravan trip at the end of the week to,” she said.
“Someone doesn’t want us to enjoy our school holidays.”
Many in the region have been grappling with no power as high winds and rain lash the state.
One person said on Facebook the damage to properties on the Fleurieu Peninsula had all the hallmarks of a “cold air tornado”.
Roof tiles have been ripped from homes and garage doors have been pulled from their rails by the high winds.
So far, a 102 km/h wind gust was recorded at Cape Willoughby at 1:45am, with 98 km/h at Edithburgh just after 4.30am, and 96 km/h at Outer Harbor Tide Gauge at 3:41am.
Homes and businesses have been left damaged and without power, with trees down across the state.
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Originally published as Yankalilla hit hard by storm, person trapped after tree falls on car near Williamstown, northeast of Adelaide as wild winds lash SA
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