Power restored to more storm-hit homes in Western Australia

ELECTRICITY provider Western Power has restored energy to about 15,000 homes in Western Australia in the wake of wild storms.

Just over 12,000 homes remained without electricity by mid-afternoon on Wednesday, including properties that lost power during Sunday’s storms as well as overnight.

Outages peaked at 170,000 on Sunday afternoon.

Wild weather carrying winds of up to 113km/h lashed Cape Leeuwin on the state’s most southwesterly tip on Tuesday night, while the coastal Perth suburb of Swanbourne recorded gusts of 107km/h.

A storm that hit the same broad area on Sunday brought winds of up to 140km/h, causing unprecedented damage to the electricity network.

Damage to property overnight was less than expected, but has been reported from Moora some 170km north of Perth to Albany in the Great Southern region.

FESA’s State Emergency Service said less than 100 jobs were yet to be completed, mainly in the Bunbury area of the South West region.

It warned more bad weather was headed for the southernmost parts of the state from the South West region through to Eucla near the South Australian border.

Department of Education director general Sharyn O’Neill said about 45 schools in Perth, the South West and Wheatbelt that had been closed due to damage or disruption from the storms would re-open on Thursday.

Special arrangements were being made for Bunbury Senior High School, where parts of the roof were badly damaged.

IMAGE: The roof of a block of units torn off after heavy winds in the Perth suburb of Tuart Hill, Monday, June 11, 2012. Heavy rain and winds of up to 140km/h whipped Western Australia’s south-west coast on Sunday, causing unprecedented damage to buildings and the electricity network. (AAP Image/Rebecca Le May)