Vic; Fierce winds lash Melbourne s northwest

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2000
Vic; Fierce winds lash Melbourne s northwest

MELBOURNE, Aug 8 AAP - A mini-tornado tore the roofs off about 15 houses and wrecked
a basketball stadium in Melbourne's north-west today amid severe thunderstorms with torrential
rain late today.

State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman Peter Cocks told AAP he had heard that a mini-tornado
had carved a path of destruction through Sunbury, Tullamarine and Essendon about 5.45pm
(AEST).

He said 15 houses had their roofs ripped off in the savage wind which was followed
by driving rain.

The worst damage was reported in Sunbury, north-west of Melbourne, where a basketball
stadium lost its roof and a wall collapsed.

"No-one's been hurt but we've got 60 volunteers heading out there from three units,"

Mr Cocks said.

"There's been significant roof damage to 15 houses but the heavy rain that followed
is the worst possible combination.

"We can tarpaulin houses that have lost their roofs, but if it rains just like we've
had, it causes far more damage."

The weather bureau released a storm warning reporting that severe thunderstorms had
caused damage at Sunbury.

The bureau warned Melbourne residents in the path of the storm, which was moving through
to the city's south-east, of the likelihood of wind damage and localised flooding.

"People in the south-eastern suburbs are warned that this storm can produce damaging
wind, large hail and flash flooding," the bureau said.

Police warned motorists that flash flooding was delaying traffic in Melbourne's inner
western suburbs and urged them to take care in the heavy rain.

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KEYWORD: STORM VIC

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