NSW: Severe winds lash state overnight

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2001
NSW: Severe winds lash state overnight

SYDNEY, Aug 17 AAP - Gales blasted across NSW overnight, unroofing houses and cutting
power to thousands of homes.

State Emergency Services spokesman Peter O'Neill said the service had taken nearly
400 calls for help around the state overnight with winds gusting up to 100kph.

Damage had extended from Bathurst and Orange, in the central west, to Wagga in the
south-west, Batemans Bay on the south coast, and through Sydney north to the central coast,
Mr O'Neill said.

Around Bathurst, Orange and Wagga the SES responded to calls with trees down on roads,
cars and houses.

The wind also uprooted trees and brought down power lines from Kiama to Batemans Bay,
on the south coast, he said.

In Sydney, damage was concentrated in the south and south-west, around Sutherland,
Hurstville, and Campbelltown, with the northern suburbs along the coast also badly hit.

Tin and tiled roofs had been damaged by the gale in Sydney and volunteers were covering
a lot of roofs with tarpaulins, especially in the Campbelltown area, Mr O'Neill said.

About 300 volunteers were now working to clear up the damage after a smaller group
of workers battled the dark and strong winds to carry out essential jobs.

"They did respond straight away but it's just in some situations they couldn't do much
because they couldn't actually get up on the roof," Mr O'Neill said.

The high winds were predicted to continue until about 2pm (AEST) so it would take until
tonight to cover all the damage, he said.

"The worst situation will be the volunteers working in the strong winds and trying
to put tarps on roofs and cut down fallen trees," Mr O'Neill said.

The weather bureau today said a land gale warning was forecast for this morning and
early afternoon for the southern districts, south coast, Illawarra, Hunter and Sydney
metropolitan areas.

Severe weather meteorologist Rob Webb said gusts of 80 to 90 kph were forecast for
the Wollongong area and of up to 90 kph in Sydney.

"The wind is still fairly hefty around Sydney and the Illawarra," Mr Webb said.

"We really see problems around 90 kph."

Winds had abated in the central west around Bathurst to 50 to 60 kph, Mr Webb said.

However, meteorologists were keeping a close watch on that area also.

The winds were typical winter westerlies caused by the passage of a cold front moving
to the north-east, he said.

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KEYWORD: WINDS LEAD

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