By CASEY NEILL and BRIDGET SCOTT
PAKENHAM SES responded to more than 30 calls for help on Tuesday as wild weather lashed Cardinia.
Unit controller Andrew Graham said the 31 incidents ranged from trees down over roads and driveways, to trees falling on homes and a ceiling collapse in a Pakenham lounge room.
Initial reports were that a person had been trapped beneath debris in the Eddie Barron Terrace home, but the fears were soon allayed.
“It was initially called in as a building collapse but it turned out the ceiling just came down,” Mr Graham said.
“There was a woman home at the time. She was pretty shaken up by that.”
Wild winds also blew over a timing tower, which is used for CFA training and games, at PB Ronald Reserve in Pakenham.
Mr Graham said about 20 SES members hit the road in four crews and another five managed co-ordination from the team’s headquarters.
“We’ve had worse,” he said.
“I’ve not heard any reports of injuries.
“Most calls were pretty run of the mill. There was no major damage anywhere, just a lot of inconvenience caused.”
Mr Graham urged people to heed weather warnings, tie down loose objects and avoid sheltering or parking under trees.
Many took to social media to share the effects they experienced from the weather first-hand.
Power outages were felt by various families across the Cardinia Shire, while others watched from inside as their fences and sheds blew away and fell down.
A couple of families also witnessed their neighbours trampoline take flight and land in their back yard.
It was mayhem on the roads as well, with trees and power poles struck down causing traffic delays throughout the area.
Others commented on the effect the weather had on the driving conditions, with small branches from gum trees all over roads.
