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Large hailstones, heavy rain, strong winds wreak havoc in Melbourne

Emergency services received hundreds of calls for help after fierce storms swept the state, with Melbourne’s southeast suburbs around Narre Warren among the worst hit.

Brittany Goldsmith
3 min read
January 31, 2019 - 9:53AM
Heatwaves - Natures Silent Killer

Emergency service crews have received hundreds of calls for help after wild weather brought down trees and damaged buildings across Melbourne and Victoria.

Broadford in central Victoria was among the worst hit areas overnight, alongside Lang Lang southeast of Melbourne and Hampton Park in the city’s southeast.

In the 24 hours to about 7.30am, the State Emergency Service received 860 calls for help, mostly for fallen trees and building damage.

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The wild weather hit Melbourne on Wednesday evening, bringing large hailstones, heavy rain and strong winds.

Strong winds have torn the roof off this beachside property at Aspendale. Picture: Supplied
Strong winds have torn the roof off this beachside property at Aspendale. Picture: Supplied

The roof of at least one property, in the beachside suburb of Aspendale, was ripped off during the storms, with neighbours saying it was the second time this had occurred in their street.

It came as fire crews battled two out-of-control bushfires in Gippsland, believed to have been started by lightning strikes, at Thomson and Walhalla.

A watch and act was downgraded around 9.30 this morning for the Thomson Jordan Divide Rd blaze.

Residents in Aberfeldy, O’Keefe, Sullivans, The Junction, Thomson, Toner and Toombon have been warned to keep checking with emergency services.

EARLIER

As of 9.15pm, the State Emergency Service had received 819 calls for help, including 320 for fallen trees, 259 for building damage and 13 for flooding.

The worst hit area was Brookfield, west of Melton, with 34 call outs.

Lightning strikes as storms roll in over Melbourne. Picture: Steven English
Lightning strikes as storms roll in over Melbourne. Picture: Steven English

Emergency crews were called to Kiandra Close about 5.30pm.

Neighbours said it is the second time a roof in the street had been ripped off.

There were no reports of injury.

Drivers were warned to avoid travelling near the intersection of South Gippsland and Bass highways near Lang Lang, as SES teams work to remove trees from the road on Wednesday night.

A VicRoads spokesman urged drivers to steer clear of the road until SES volunteers had cleared the area.

Melton, Campbellfield, Lang Lang, Narre Warren, Carrum Downs and Hampton Park were badly affected, with the Narre Warren SES unit attending to the most call outs.

Gusts of 111km/h were recorded in Hopetoun and 94km/h at Moorabbin Airport and Laverton.

The Bureau of Meteorology said 14mm fell in Melton South in 10 minutes.

Keilor saw 12mm fall in 30 minutes.

Lightning strikes shut down the Mornington twilight horse racing after only three races.

Dramatic photos posted on Twitter captured a dust storm sweeping through Melton.

A panoramic photo of the storm moving over Caroline Springs heading west. Picture: David Caird
A panoramic photo of the storm moving over Caroline Springs heading west. Picture: David Caird

On Wednesday afternoon, storms were detected in Belgrave, Camberwell, Caulfield, Frankston, Lang Lang, Melton and waters off Brighton beach, moving in a south easterly direction.

Earlier storms hit Dandenong, Glen Waverley and Williamstown, Koo Wee Rup, Pakenham and South Pakenham, Caulfield, Craigieburn, Footscray, Melbourne’s CBD, Melton, Pakenham and Ringwood, St Albans and Werribee.

Commuters travelling on the Pakenham line experienced major delays after a tree fell on tracks between Hallam and Narre Warren stations.

Part of the Cranbourne line was suspended due to an overhead power fault near Lynbrook.

The Mornington Twilight Races have been called off after only three races due to storms and lightning strikes. Picture: Tony Gough
The Mornington Twilight Races have been called off after only three races due to storms and lightning strikes. Picture: Tony Gough

Storms hit Greensborough, Rowville, Sydenham, Portarlington, the area north of Ballan and northeast of Sunbury about 4.50pm.

Heavy hail was reported in Rowville.

BOM issued a severe weather warning for the city’s west, eastern suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula, as a cool change swept in from the west after Melbourne reached temperatures of 37C.

Firefighters were on high alert amid soaring temperatures across the state.

A total fire ban was declared for the Mallee, Wimmera and South West districts on Wednesday as temperatures in the northwest of the state climbed to 40C.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for parts of the Northern Country, North East and South Gippsland districts. The Strathbogie Ranges recorded 25mm before 9am on Wednesday.

Firefighters battled five “going” blazes, which means they don’t have containment lines around them, during the day, including at Timbarra in the East Gippsland region.

“In terms of the fire-affected areas, they’re going to see that wind change coming through during the early hours of Thursday, so between about 5am and 8am,” said Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Michael Efron.

“Fortunately, that wind change doesn’t look particularly strong through there and it will actually bring cooler conditions as well, so it should make conditions more favourable.”

A State Control Centre spokesman said authorities were well-prepared after days of relatively favourable conditions but lightning could make the situation worse.

Originally published as Large hailstones, heavy rain, strong winds wreak havoc in Melbourne

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Original URL: https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victoria/total-fire-bans-as-another-furnace-blast-hits-melbourne/news-story/2f8f5e266e1e6f579e69223365fee31d