Wild weather wreaks havoc

DAMAGE CONTROL: A section of roof was torn from a home on Myall Street on Sunday afternoon during damaging wind gusts of up to 78km/h. Picture: BRITTANY DENTON

EMERGENCY service crews were kept on their toes as damaging wind gusts reached speeds of up to 78km/h in Mount Gambier on Sunday afternoon.

Mount Gambier and District State Emergency Service unit manager Simon Poel said crews attended a number of incidents across the region.

“We were busy late in the afternoon yesterday – there were a number of trees down around the place,” Mr Poel said.

“A loose gable on a roof in Mount Gambier was torn away by the wind and we had to screw it down.

“There was a tree down in Tarpeena that covered an entire road.”

Northwesterly winds reached 78km/h at around 1.30pm on Sunday.

Mr Poel said SES volunteers attended another fallen tree yesterday.

“There was another tree down in town this morning,” he said.

“The guys are heading back to finish clearing it after lunch.”

Light winds are forecast for today, shifting west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h tomorrow.