A man has died near Adelaide after being crushed by a tree brought down in gale-force winds as south-east Australia prepares for a blast of icy weather forecast to bring heavy rain and snow in some areas.
Police said the 71-year-old was trying to clear a fallen tree from the road in Tungkillo when he was struck by a second falling tree shortly before 11am. Paramedics were unable to revive him.
Woman says she was inside with 5 month old baby when tree came down on roof above them#Macclesfield @abcnewsAdelaide pic.twitter.com/L5S14MIPKI
— Lauren Waldhuter (@laurenwaldhuter) July 11, 2016
Two more people were injured in separate incidents caused by the damaging winds, which have brought down trees, toppled water-tanks and damaged vehicles in the Adelaide Hills.
The SA State Emergency Service was distributing sandbags in Adelaide on Monday afternoon as heavy rain was expected to bring flooding. Emergency services reiterated warnings for locals not to walk, ride or drive through floodwaters.
Teresa Taylor says it's lucky no-one was killed when a tree fell on two cars at Meadows Vet Clinic @abcnewsAdelaide pic.twitter.com/CXDuga5bM5
— Lauren Waldhuter (@laurenwaldhuter) July 11, 2016
South Australia police issued a statement thanking paramedics and Country Fire Service volunteers for trying to help the man, and warned that more trees were likely to come down.
“Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast to continue across the state and police urge the public to take care on the roads and near large trees during storm activity,” they said.
The ABC reports that another man at Tungkillo was injured when a water tank fell on him and at Macclesfield, 50km further south, a woman was injured when a tree fell on her leg.
From Tuesday let it snow! Snow down to 200-300 metres for TAS & VIC, 500-600m for SA & NSW.https://t.co/ByG5YyVjFH pic.twitter.com/fwp3UaeWlO
— BOM Australia (@BOM_au) July 11, 2016
The State Emergency Service in SA responded to about 400 calls for assistance from people reporting trees or powerlines down around Adelaide by midday on Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for parts of South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, predicting winds of up to 60km/h, gusting to 100km/h, throughout the day.
Gusts of 104km/h were recorded at Strathalbyn, 60km south-east of Adelaide, 109km/h at Mt Buller in central Victoria and 107km/h at Mt Read in Tasmania.
A blizzard warning was issued for alpine areas above 1,700m around Thredbo, Perisher, Batemans Bay, Cooma and Bombala in south-east NSW, and the BOM has advised people to avoid travel on mountainous roads.
Flood warnings have also been issued for the Keiwa, Snowy, Latrobe, Upper Murray, Mitta Mitta, Keiwa, and Ovens and King Rivers in north-east Victoria, and for the Mersey, Meander, North Esk and South Esk Rivers in Tasmania.
Water level in Mersey River Latrobe still well below breaking its banks. Moderate flood warning in place @abcnewsTas pic.twitter.com/PyxWdmzkrt
— Sallese Gibson (@sallesegibson) July 10, 2016
Launceston and Latrobe in Tasmania are still recovering from devastating floods last month in which three people died.
A sheep graziers’ warning has also been issued for southern parts of SA, the central tablelands and alpine slopes in NSW, and throughout Victoria and Tasmania, with strong northwesterly winds and freezing temperatures expected as a cold front moves through on Monday night.
“There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions,” the BOM said.
