One dead and half a million homes without power after freak storms in Victoria

Wild storm toppled power lines leading to one of the worst power outage Victoria has ever seen

One person has died and more than half a million homes were without power in Victoria after wild storms brought damaging winds to the Australian province.

About 620,000 Victorian homes and businesses blacked out on Tuesday after electricity transmission lines were damaged in the storm.

Winds of up to 157kph (98 mph) toppled six electricity transmission towers. This was one of the highest number of power outages Victoria state had ever experienced, officials said.

Power supply was also interrupted for traffic lights, schools and restaurants were shut and travel was disrupted.

On Wednesday, approximately 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power, with restaurants bracing for a loss of business on Valentine’s Day.

A Mirboo North dairy farmer aged in his 50s was killed when storms ripped through South Gippsland on Tuesday night, state’s premier Jacinta Allan said on Wednesday.

“The high, destructive winds have caused incredible damage across large parts of our state,” Ms Allan said.

The man, whose name has not been released, appeared to have been hit by debris, according to emergency management commissioner Rick Nugent.

WorkSafe later stated the farmer was struck by a detached shed roof while moving cattle on a quad bike about 6pm on Tuesday.

“The storms were the most destructive in years and years,” Mr Nugent said.

The storm churning across Victoria hammered through the suburban town of Anakie which holds a significant number of the state’s 500kV Moorabool-Sydenham transmission lines,

Amid high temperatures, the storm brought strong winds and lightning strikes, knocking down hundreds of powerlines and power poles, leading to the majority of power outages, according to local media reports.

Energy companies say they are working to restore the lines and more and more houses are getting reconnected with the number of power outed houses expected to reduce in the next two-three days.

But Mr Nugent said it could take almost a week for some people to get power back, if they’re in areas with local lines impacted.

Australia has been witnessing a series of wild weather with excess rainfall causing floods and heat breaking records.