Destructive winds are causing havoc on Australia’s east coast, already claiming one life and leaving tens of thousands of people without power.
A 63-year-old woman died when a tree struck a cabin at a holiday park in Moama, on the New South Wales (NSW)-Victorian border on Sunday night. She is yet to be formally identified.
A powerful cold front is moving eastwards across the country, bringing some of the most severe weather conditions of the year, with winds equivalent to those of a category two or three cyclone.
The Bureau of Meteorology and state emergency services warn residents that worse is to come and have advised against unnecessary travel.
Winds have already reached 146 km/h at Wilsons Promontory National Park, 133 km/h at Mount Jellibrand, and 131 km/h at Falls Creek, all in Victoria, and gusts exceeding 100 km/h were also recorded in suburbs across Melbourne.
There are about 140,000 properties without power in Victoria’s east, Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, and the state’s south-west.
Stronger Winds for NSW
Senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said the extreme weather had already hit NSW. However, she warned the strongest winds were still to come, with wind gusts of up to 120 km/h possible until Monday afternoon.“The strongest winds for NSW are expected this morning with the potential for damaging wind stretching up from the Victorian border up to the Hunter district, including the south coast, Illawarra, the Sydney Metro, and adjacent ranges,” she said.
NSW Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner after the death at Moama. The woman’s body had been found in the wreckage of a cabin, and a man, also aged 63, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Tasmania Battered
The island state of Tasmania was struck by a weather front over the weekend, causing significant damage to trees, properties, power lines, and infrastructure. Peak overnight wind gusts reached 157 km/h at King Island Airport and 130 km/h at Launceston Airport.On Sunday, the state’s emergency services received 347 calls for assistance.
A flood emergency warning was issued for residents near the Derwent River, Meadowbank to Macquarie Plains, Styx River, Bushy Park to Macquarie Plains, and its environs.
Residents were warned that River Derwent below Meadowbank Dam was likely to exceed the major flood level of 7.3 metres early on Monday.
People in southeast Tasmanian towns on the Derwent, including Meadowbank, Glenora, Bushy Park, Gretna and Macquarie Plains, were urged to enact flood emergency plans and prepare their properties.
Victoria Surf Conditions
Higher than normal tides are forecast for the Victorian coast and Port Phillip, which may inundate low-lying areas.A Watch and Act alert remains in place for the state’s northeast ranges and dangerous surf conditions and storm surges along the southwest coast.
Victoria’s SES chief officer, Tim Wiebusch, said winds as strong as the ones seen this morning occur only every three to five years.
On Friday, Sydney recorded its hottest August day since 1995, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees C (86F).
