Storms bring destructive winds and ignite wildfires across Australian state of Victoria
ABC News
Powerful winds have killed a man and brought widespread destruction across Australia’s second-most populous state, leaving 530,000 homes and businesses without power and fanning fires that razed homes and injured five firefighters
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Powerful winds have killed a man and brought widespread destruction across Australia’s second-most populous state, leaving 530,000 homes and businesses without power and fanning fires that razed homes and injured five firefighters, officials said on Wednesday.
Winds of up to 157 kph (98 mph) toppled six electricity transmission towers on Tuesday and caused one of the highest number of power outages Victoria state had ever experienced, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said.
“The storms were the most destructive in years and years and unfortunately from time to time this can occur,” Nugent told reporters, referring to the widespread power outages.
A 50-year-old dairy farmer was killed by flying debris while driving a tractor near Mirboo North in southeast Victoria on Tuesday, Nugent said.
Storms also brought lightning strikes that sparked several forest fires in the west of the state, damaging homes in the township of Pomonal. Nugent confirmed houses had been lost but declined to provide an estimate of how many.
