Outages and blocked roads are still affecting Cardinia almost 48 hours after the storm, leaving large parts of the Eastern Dandenong Ranges without power, some without cellular reception and many having to take long detours on their commutes.
Vic Emergency has updated the situation regarding Emerald and Cockatoo who have been affected by the storm. Emergency services are still working to help homes affected or in danger from surrounding trees, as well as working to clear significant debris along roads.
With power and even cellular reception down for many, people can still use their phone contacting emergency services if they have access to the internet. Alternatively, public phones can be used at 348 Main Street, Emerald, 445 Belgrave-Gembrook, Emerald, 44 McBride Street, Cockatoo.
Some major roads are currently still blocked. Pakenham Road between Cockatoo and Pakenham Upper is closed due to debris on the road.
Debris has blocked both lanes on Paternoster Road in Emerald, requiring people to seek alternative routes.
Overhead power lines through Emerald and Cockatoo have received significant damage, with many in the area included in the 104,000 people still without power as of 8pm Wednesday 14 February, according to provider Ausnet.
Ausnet anticipates that 48,000 will have their power restored by 6pm Thursday and another 50,000 by 6pm Saturday.
400 personnel have been deployed Wednesday and throughout the night to Thursday, according to Ausnet, responding to 400 faults and patrolling 8,000 kilometers of lines.
AusNet executive general manager Steven Neave said that as of early Thursday morning around 75,000 of its customers were still waiting for their power to be restored.
The main areas affected are Yarra Ranges, south Gippsland and the Bass Coast.
“We’ll have 400 crews on the ground again today, we’ve been working through the night,” Mr Neave told Nine’s Today show on Thursday.
“It’s really clearing that vegetation out of the way, getting safe access to all the streets and suburbs where this storm has gone through and progressively … restoring supply as safely as we can.”
Relief centres will be opening again on Thursday between 10.30am to 6.30pm where Shire and Emergency Service representatives are available to inform and support the community where possible. They are located at Cockatoo Community Hub on 79 Pakenham Rd Cockatoo and Emerald Community Hub at Worrell Reserve, 402 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Emerald, Emerald.
