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Interstate SES clean up Melbourne chaos

SES crews from NSW and South Australia headed to Melbourne today to help clean up the chaos left behind by what the weather bureau called a 'beast of a storm.'

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Source: AAP


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State Emergency Service volunteers have been called in from interstate to help mop up after Melbourne's damaging storms.

Eighty volunteers from NSW and South Australia have been sent to Melbourne as it counts the cost of a fierce hail storm that flooded roads and inundated buildings on Saturday.

The SES received 4200 calls for help when hail stones the size of lemons pummelled the city, leaving 100,000 homes without power.

At the height of the deluge, described by the weather bureau as a "beast of a storm", the emergency services dispatch centre received 600 calls for help every half hour.

Forecasters warn of more

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Forecasters warned that Victoria needed to atten down for another bout of wild weather on Sunday with large hailstones between the size of golf balls and tennis balls expected to fall somewhere in the state.

The storm cell unleashed itself on Melbourne at 2.40pm (AEDT), dumping 26mm of rain in less than an hour.

On Saturday night, the rain continued up to the Murray River, out to east Gippsland and across the west of the state.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Richard Carlyon says the mixture of tropical weather and a low pressure system moving in from the west were responsible for Saturday's havoc.

"There will be similar conditions today but whether Melbourne cops it again remains to be seen," Mr Carlyon said.

"We are forecasting rain and thunderstorms across the state with 50 to 100mm, but it will depend on where the storm cell develops."

He said up to 70mm was dumped in Melbourne's northwestern suburbs on Saturday with 10 to 30mm falling in the catchment areas.

"Large hailstones are a possibility again with the thunderstorms, with hail between the size of golf balls and tennis balls somewhere in the state," Mr Carlyon said.

On Saturday, wind gusts exceeding 100km/h lashed Melbourne Airport and Southern Cross train station was evacuated as rain tore a hole in its roof and a deluge splashed down on the train platforms.

The city's Moomba festival was abandoned and several thousand people were stranded waiting for limited trains and replacement bus services after Super Saturday at Flemington Racecourse was washed out.

The storm caused severe flooding in suburban streets and also forced the cancellation of the AFL practice match between Brisbane and Geelong.


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