Storms bring destructive winds and ignite wildfires across Australian state of Victoria
Associated PressMELBOURNE, Australia — Powerful winds have killed a man and brought widespread destruction across Australia’s second-most populous state, leaving 530,000 homes and businesses without power and fanning fires that razed homes and injured five firefighters, officials said on Wednesday. Winds of up to 157 kph toppled six electricity transmission towers on Tuesday and caused one of the highest number of power outages Victoria state had ever experienced, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said. Storms also brought lightning strikes that sparked several forest fires in the west of the state, damaging homes in the township of Pomonal. Daniel Westerman, chief executive of Australian Energy Market Operator, which manages the national electricity and gas markets, said the collapse of two transmission towers between the state capital Melbourne and the neighboring city of Geelong had “sent shock waves” through the state’s power grid.
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