WILD WIND RIPS OFF ROOF, DOWNS TREES:
A ROOF has been ripped off a Geelong unit complex after a freak storm front smashed parts of the region on Saturday.
SES crews were called to a North Geelong unit block around 5pm Saturday after a violent wind gust lifted its roof, according to SES Corio unit controller Brendan Marretta.
“What happened was a huge gust of wind came through that area about 5pm last night and had an immense amount of strength to it,” he said.
“It lifted the trusses and framing of the foundation brickwork and lifted the roof completely off the walls and dropped back down, and half the roof on two units was peeled back with the sheet ironing.”
Mr Marretta said it was one of only a handful of call-outs in the Geelong area, while at one stage there were 170 jobs in progress throughout Victoria, mostly within central and north central parts of the state.
There were also reports of powerlines downed near the unit block, and some local flash flooding. Properties at Inverleigh also copped a buffeting from the same front.
Local resident Andrea Bolton said it was one of the scariiest moments of her life as she raced for shelter from the storm, which obliterated everything in its path in a 20m swath.
“It was like a bomb going off here at Inverleigh today at around 4pm. Thirty-foot trees were being ripped out of the ground around us like they were no more than weeds,” Ms Bolton said.
“Fences are all smashed to the ground crushed under the weight of these mighty trees.
“We were at the exact spot outside where all the damage occurred at around 4pm when it happened and seriously thought we were going to die as we ran for our lives to the house quickly throwing the dogs through the door in front of us as we flew in.
“It’s going to be a long clean up.”
The Geelong region was not under any weather warnings at the time the front surged through around 4pm.
After the wind persisted yesterday, conditions are expected to ease significantly for the region as the week goes on, while there is a slim chance of rain.
SES Corio is on the lookout for more volunteers and will be holding an information session at their base tomorrow from 7pm at 299 Anakie Rd, Lovely Banks.