Damaging storm hits WA

as posted here

Strong winds and heavy rain have lashed the Perth metropolitan area causing widespread damage and power cuts.

A storm which hit Perth early this afternoon carried winds up to 110 kilometres an hour.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) says fallen trees are blocking roads in Rockingham to the south of Perth, Canning and Hilton and about 60,000 homes are without power, including 3000 in the South West.

Allen Gale from FESA says the storm has also damaged properties.

"That's resulted in iron being lifted off some roofs, quite a few trees down," he said.

We're also aware of garden sheds, pergolas that have been flipped as well and in the city there's problems alongside the freeway because of unusually high tides and the wind action is causing water spray to come up over the freeway."

The Weather Bureau says more heavy rain is expected .

Grant Pipe from the State Emergency Service says calls for help are coming from all over the metropolitan area.

"It's widespread so it all the way from Wanneroo in the north and right down to Rockingham in the south and eastern suburbs as well both Armadale and Gosnells," he said.

Passenger train services on a number of lines in Perth were also disrupted due to electrical problems related to the storm.

Replacement buses were brought in to service the Fremantle line from 1.00pm.

Services on all Perth train lines have since returned to normal.


- ABC


as posted here