Victoria hit by GALES, Heavy Rain – 29k homes blacked out

Gale-force winds and heavy rain are hitting parts of Victoria, with almost 100 millimetres of rain fulling west of Melbourne overnight.

Yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned Victorians to expect flash flooding, infrastructure damage and power outages as storms intensified across the state.

The State Emergency Service (SES) responded to more than 700 calls for assistance from midnight Sunday, with trees down, building damage and flooding.

The heaviest falls came in areas such as the Otway Ranges, Geelong, and Castlemaine.

Many areas west of Melbourne received 50mm to 80mm overnight, while the most rain fell in Dudidwarrah, west of Geelong, which received 99mm.

The wet weather is causing havoc for commuters making their way to work in Melbourne, particularly on public transport, with delays on some train lines and slippery conditions at stations.

Source: Melbourne weather: BOM warning remains as Victoria hit by high wind, heavy rain – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)