A SEVERE thunderstorm left a trail of destruction across Ellenbrook and up through the Hills yesterday afternoon. State Emergency Services Volunteers responded to calls for help following the storm. Areas affected included Ellenbrook, Middle Swan and Midland in the City of Swan, Mundaring in the Shire of Mundaring and Kalamunda in the Shire of Kalamunda.
SES volunteers attended 170 call outs that included minor to severe structural damage within the east metropolitan area, while career and volunteer fire fighters responded to about 30 storm-related incidents yesterday. Trees and powerlines fell in the strong winds and heavy rain, roads and homes were flooded and power was cut, leaving a number of homes still without power this morning. Thousands of homes remain without power as a result of the sudden storm.
Swanleigh Residential College in Yule Avenue, Middle Swan, received roof damage to several of its buildings and a teenage girl was injured and taken to hospital by ambulance. An SES spokesman said the college sustained damage to five of its buildings. Director Ian Ludlow and nine staff were stranded on site after fallen trees blocked Yule Avenue but students had been evacuated from the college.
The Middle Swan Child Care Centre also lost its roof. Power pole top fires started while fallen power lines and lightning sparked bush fires.
This morning, 140 SES volunteers from north and south metropolitan units are working in the field in 26 teams with assistance from relief crews from the South West and Great Southern regions.
