Gumleaf
April 1st, 2008, 11:08 PM
Wednesday Apr 2 13:56 AEDT
Police are urging all non-essential people to leave Melbourne's CBD as storm force winds lash the city and create havoc on the roads.
Commuters are facing a diabolical trip home. High winds could shut down one of the main routes out of the city, the West Gate bridge, a police spokeswoman said.
The Bolte Bridge may also be closed.
The speed limit on the West Gate has been dropped to 40km/h and all truck drivers and those with caravans have been urged to avoid the bridge.
Trees brought down on cars and roads by the wild weather may also disrupt rush-hour.
Rural Ambulance Victoria spokesman Andre Coia said gale force winds could cause treacherous conditions on regional and rural roads, strewing debris in the path of vehicles.
Mr Coia said drivers should expect to encounter obstacles on the road, slippery conditions and decreased visibility.
A dust storm creating low visibility may also have played a part in a three car pile-up along the Western Highway this morning.
The accident happened near Buangor, in the state's west, with ten people taken to hospital suffering a range of injuries, including a 25-year-old woman with neck and back injuries.
Elsewhere in Melbourne, the wind caused power blackouts, knocked people off their feet and forced the closure of the Melbourne International Flower Show, which opened today.
Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman Paul Bentley said ambulance crews treated a woman hit by a fallen tree in Carlton, in inner-northern Melbourne.
The 55-year-old woman was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with minor injuries.
A woman was also injured by what was suspected to be building rubble near Crown Casino in the city, Mr Bentley said.
And a 33-year-old woman and her 72-year-old female passenger escaped injury when a tree fell across their car in Wantirna South.
Mr Bentley said ambulance officers had also attended calls where people had been blown over by the strong winds.
More than 12,000 homes and businesses have lost power as high winds batter western and central Victoria and suburbs across Melbourne.
Electricity distributor Powercor said more than 4200 customers in Sunshine, in Melbourne's west, lost power supplies earlier today.
More than 2000 homes and businesses in Hamilton, in the state's far west, had also been hit by power cuts as residents were warned the high winds would be followed by a storm front.
Powercor spokesman Damien Batey said the company was expecting the situation to worsen before getting better.
©AAP 2008
Police are urging all non-essential people to leave Melbourne's CBD as storm force winds lash the city and create havoc on the roads.
Commuters are facing a diabolical trip home. High winds could shut down one of the main routes out of the city, the West Gate bridge, a police spokeswoman said.
The Bolte Bridge may also be closed.
The speed limit on the West Gate has been dropped to 40km/h and all truck drivers and those with caravans have been urged to avoid the bridge.
Trees brought down on cars and roads by the wild weather may also disrupt rush-hour.
Rural Ambulance Victoria spokesman Andre Coia said gale force winds could cause treacherous conditions on regional and rural roads, strewing debris in the path of vehicles.
Mr Coia said drivers should expect to encounter obstacles on the road, slippery conditions and decreased visibility.
A dust storm creating low visibility may also have played a part in a three car pile-up along the Western Highway this morning.
The accident happened near Buangor, in the state's west, with ten people taken to hospital suffering a range of injuries, including a 25-year-old woman with neck and back injuries.
Elsewhere in Melbourne, the wind caused power blackouts, knocked people off their feet and forced the closure of the Melbourne International Flower Show, which opened today.
Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman Paul Bentley said ambulance crews treated a woman hit by a fallen tree in Carlton, in inner-northern Melbourne.
The 55-year-old woman was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with minor injuries.
A woman was also injured by what was suspected to be building rubble near Crown Casino in the city, Mr Bentley said.
And a 33-year-old woman and her 72-year-old female passenger escaped injury when a tree fell across their car in Wantirna South.
Mr Bentley said ambulance officers had also attended calls where people had been blown over by the strong winds.
More than 12,000 homes and businesses have lost power as high winds batter western and central Victoria and suburbs across Melbourne.
Electricity distributor Powercor said more than 4200 customers in Sunshine, in Melbourne's west, lost power supplies earlier today.
More than 2000 homes and businesses in Hamilton, in the state's far west, had also been hit by power cuts as residents were warned the high winds would be followed by a storm front.
Powercor spokesman Damien Batey said the company was expecting the situation to worsen before getting better.
©AAP 2008