Victoria's tranquillity was violently disrupted as fierce winds, reaching speeds beyond 130km/h, tore through the state, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

The wild weather battered Victoria with ferocity, pulling roofs from homes and uprooting trees, leaving thousands of residents grappling with the harrowing aftermath.



In the face of nature's wrath, the Victorian community has faced a colossal cleanup effort.

The storm's impact was so severe that tens of thousands of families were plunged into darkness, with power outages widespread across the region.

Despite the winds easing, many households remained without electricity well into the night as energy companies and emergency crews worked tirelessly to restore services.


The State Emergency Service (SES) was inundated with calls for assistance, responding to over 2,800 requests by late yesterday morning.

The majority of these calls were due to trees that had been felled by the storm's might and the subsequent damage to buildings.

The hardest-hit areas included Warragul, Moe, Emerald, and Corio, where the SES worked alongside local communities to address the urgent needs of those affected.

The devastation was not limited to residential areas. The storm's impact was felt across various sectors, with disruptions to road, rail, and even educational institutions.

Public Transport Victoria reported that rail services had been compromised but were gradually resuming operation.

However, the V/Line Gippsland line faced significant challenges, with coaches replacing trains between Bairnsdale and Southern Cross due to obstructions on the tracks.



Schools were not spared either. St Helena Secondary College in Eltham and Yarra Ranges Special Developmental School were forced to close their doors for the day, alongside several non-government schools in the city's southeast, prioritising the safety of students and staff.

The wild weather also took a toll on the iconic beach boxes of Melbourne, which suffered damage amid the tumultuous winds.

The storm whipped the seas and sank the 82-year-old 'iconic boat' of Bayside Fishntrips in Melbourne.

The owner, Mark, described the loss as 'heartbreaking’, and said the waves were too powerful to get on and try and save it.



In a tragic turn of events, the storm claimed a life when a 63-year-old woman was killed as a tree fell on her cabin in Moama, near the NSW-Victoria border.

Her husband sustained injuries and was treated at Echuca Hospital.

Premier Jacinta Allan addressed the state, describing the weather as 'severe' and extending gratitude to the emergency services for their unwavering efforts.

‘Crews are out there on the ground right now working as quickly as they can, but also only working in areas where it's safe to do so,’ Allan said.

Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent acknowledged the significant number of homes rendered uninhabitable

‘There are some homes that are inhabitable, but we don't know exactly how many yet, as impact assessments need to be undertaken,’ Nugent said.



As Victoria begins to recover, the Bureau of Meteorology has cancelled its severe weather warning, noting that the damaging winds have subsided.

‘A vigorous west-southwesterly airstream with embedded showers is affecting southern Victoria in the wake of a cold front. Damaging winds have eased as the front moves further away,’ it said.

The strongest wind gust recorded was an astonishing 146 km/h at Wilsons Promontory, south-east of Melbourne.

Other areas, such as Mount Gellibrand, Mount Hotham, and Falls Creek, also experienced gusts surpassing 130km/h, highlighting the storm's intensity.

A Coastal Hazard Warning remained current for the Victorian coastline.

You can watch 9 News’ coverage below:


Our thoughts are with those affected, and we encourage our readers to share their experiences and support for those currently navigating the storm's aftermath. Let us know in the comments below.