Hundreds of people have been evacuated in Melbourne as a cold front bringing peak gusts of up to 110km/h batter Victoria.
About 300 people were evacuated in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond about 11pm after a 40m crane was battered by winds of more than 100km/h and almost knocked onto buildings.
Residents on the south-west side of the crane were evacuated to Richmond Town Hall for safety reasons.
Warnings Issued
A severe weather warning remains in place as another cold front continues to move eastwards across Victoria, with residents warned to take measures to protect lives and property.
Winds averaging 60-70km/h with peak gusts of around 90km/h are expected as a cold front moves eastwards across the state, the Bureau of Meteorology warned this morning.
Alpine areas are expected to receive peak gusts of 100-110km/h.
But the BoM said conditions are expected to improve later this evening.
The State Emergency Service has warned Melbourne residents to avoid power lines and move vehicles from under trees as the wild winds batter the area.
Melbourne battered
Yesterday, Melbourne was hit by 113km/h winds, with Melbourne’s east, southeast and outer north the hardest hit.
At least 970 homes in the suburb of Epping were plunged into darkness as powerlines were taken down.
More than 450 properties in East Warburton were also impacted by the wild weather, along with dozens of homes in Upper Plenty, Kinglake, Garfield, Emerald, Clematis and Cardinia.
Homes on the Mornington Peninsula and the state’s west also lost power.
A spokesperson from the SES said the organisation received more than 100 calls for help in the central Melbourne area after 1.30pm on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, pieces of a tin roof were ripped off a home in Apollo Bay, with the SES called to help secure the home.
“It looks like the tin has been blown off the house and the SES was called for help about 10.38am,” a spokesman said.
