Two men have tragically died after being swept from Frankston Pier as extreme winds reaching 130 km/h wreaked havoc across Victoria, bringing down trees and cutting power to thousands of homes.
Emergency services were called to Frankston Beach shortly before 4.45pm following reports two men were in trouble in the water. A Victoria Police Air Wing helicopter was dispatched, and video footage captured the turbulent conditions, with strong winds battering the water as an officer was winched down.
Both men were found unresponsive in the water just after 5pm. The pair were winched to shore, but they could not be revived. The two men have yet to be formally identified, and police will now prepare a report for the coroner.
Frankston Council Mayor Kris Bolam issued a statement following the tragic loss of two men who were swept from the pier.
“On behalf of the entire Frankston City community, I extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends and loved ones,” Bolam said in a statement posted to Facebook.
“We share in your grief and stand with you during this heartbreaking time.”
The mayor acknowledged the devastating incident, calling it a “sharp reminder of the power of nature” and the real risks posed by severe weather.
The fatality came as damaging winds lashed the state, with Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecaster Dean Narramore noting that suburbs bordering Port Philip Bay were expected to be the hardest hit.
Widespread damage was reported across outer metropolitan areas, leading to chaos on the roads and mass power outages.
Wind gusts were reported up to 130 km/h at Wilsons Promontory, 120 km/h at Mount Gellibrand,117 km/h at Falls Creek, 113 km/h at Mount Hotham and 98 km/h at Cape Otway.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred in Malvern, where a large tree toppled onto a tram and the rear of a nearby car. The incident on Wattletree Road, outside Cabrini Hospital, forced the closure of the road in both directions.
The driver of the car, Michelle, said she and her daughter narrowly escaped injury.
“I was driving, just passing the tram at a red light and I heard a bang from the back seat,” she told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“I stopped, and I saw a tree branch had come through the back window of the car … my daughter was in the child’s seat, so I ran out to see if she was OK.”
Across the state, tens of thousands of homes and businesses were plunged into darkness as the storm knocked out power lines. By Wednesday afternoon, a total of 13,918 customers were without power.
The majority of outages were managed by AusNet, which reported 9118 affected customers – with 8744 of those concentrated in the north-east areas of Beveridge, Whittlesea, Upper Plenty, and Wallan. Powercor also reported 3974 homes were without supply across the north and west.
Meanwhile, the historic Geelong Cup was abandoned after just three races. The decision was made following concerns from jockeys about riding in the severe winds and was supported by advice from emergency services predicting gusts up to 65 km/h trackside.
Racegoers were evacuated from large marquees for safety. It is the first time the cup has not been run since 1953, when constant rain the night before the race led to the meeting being called off.
The remaining six races are now scheduled to be run on Thursday, starting at 2.25 pm, including a contest for King Charles’ Melbourne Cup hopeful, Gilded Water.
BoM duty forecaster Daniel Hayes confirmed that the worst of the weather was felt across Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the system moving through overnight. Conditions on Thursday are expected to be much calmer with less rainfall and lighter winds, bringing welcome relief for the state’s emergency services.