MELBOURNE, Australia: Nearly 20,000 residents in southern Australia faced power outages on Wednesday due to severe winds that brought down trees and power lines.
According to AusNet, the electricity network operator, 72 separate outages were reported across the region as wind gusts reached up to 113 kilometers (70 miles) per hour.
The impacted areas primarily include regions south of Melbourne, where wind speeds of over 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour were recorded. The Victoria State Emergency Service has issued a “severe weather” warning, advising the public to avoid areas with fallen trees and power lines.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts that the strong winds, which have caused significant disruption, will gradually subside overnight. The situation remains under close monitoring as efforts to restore power and clear debris continue.
