By Jesse Graham
IT WAS the biggest storm to hit the valley in years, and clean-up efforts continued through most of the week after winds of up to 120km/h hit the region on 9 October.
The storm knocked out power to tens of thousands of properties in the Yarra Ranges, with winds toppling trees onto houses and powerlines through the Sunday.
But many residents were left without power for days, with some set to be re-connected by 5pm on Friday, 14 October.
An AusNet Services release on 13 October said that, as of 4.30pm on Thursday, 2200 properties were still without power, with most of these being based in the Dandenong Ranges and Upper Yarra Valley.
“By this evening we expect this number to fall below 1000,” the release read.
“It remains difficult to provide accurate forecasts of when individual customers will have their electricity supply restored.”
The release said that more than 250 lineworkers had been in the field each day since the storms, though some faults were harder to repair with trees having fallen across small roads and bush tracks.
As of 1.50pm on Friday, 915 properties remained without power.On Monday, 10 October, corporate relations representative Hugo Armstrong said that the Valley and Dandenongs were the worst-affected regions by the storm.
Healesville SES spokesperson, Maria Lastra, said the unit had 90 callouts over Sunday 9 and Monday 10 October, for trees blocking roads and driveways and damaging properties.
Controller, Geoff Stott, said one incident saw a tree fall across two houses’ roofs, and many roads were blocked off, including the Maroondah Highway through the Black Spur, which re-opened on Monday evening.
“You sort of get one of these (storms), probably every about four, maybe five years,” he said.
“It’s not unknown, but we don’t get it every year, thank goodness.”
Ms Lastra and Mr Stott urged residents to stay well clear of fallen powerlines, and to always treat them as if they were live with electricity, even if the power company has switched them off.
“I was at a job where powerlines were on the floor and a lot of people walked right up to it to have a look,” Ms Lastra said.
She said that residents should also be aware of animals on their property that may be frightened or injured, or could possibly escape, and to put dogs or pets inside during stormy weather and when emergency services are on the property.
Mr Stott said that, as with bushfires, if a major storm was forecast and trees had the possibility of falling on a house, it was best to leave early.
“If they’ve got threatening trees, particularly if you’ve got kids in the house, the best thing is to get down to Eastland and do a bit of shopping or go see some friends in a safe area – just leave and go,” he said.
“You can’t stop a tree from falling over – just get out of the area.”
Mr Stott said the unit was supported by the CFA, including Badger Creek CFA, during the storm clean-up.
A Yarra Valley Water spokesperson said on Tuesday, 11 October, “a number” of assets were impacted during the storm, such as a water pipe that supplies the Chum Creek Reservoir.
“Fortunately, no customers lost water supply,” the spokesperson said.
“The repairs are now complete and the reservoir is filling as normal.”
The spokesperson said the Frogley service reservoir was offline, but that Creswell reservoir was “operational and capable of meeting all of Healesville’s supply of water”.
“During the event there was no impact to water supply and quality,” the spokesperson said.
Anyone needing emergency assistance from an SES unit must call 13 25 00, and not the unit directly – for emergency fire, ambulance or police attendance, always call triple-zero.
