Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Anthony Dowsley

July 01, 2009 12:00am
UPDATE 1.10pm: THE Maryborough woman killed by a falling tree yesterday has been named as Gail Coomber.

Ms Coomber, 48, was walking across a basketball court at a Maryborough school with a family member when tragedy struck.

She suffered head injuries, internal injuries and cardiac arrest. Paramedics rushed her from the Highview Christian Community College to Maryborough Hospital but she could not be revived.

Ms Coomber was one of three people hit by falling trees as galeforce wind up to 120km/h and thunderstorms swept across the state.

Emergency workers rescued a seriously injured man trapped in his car after a tree fell on it in St Arnaud East.

The SES has answered more than 620 calls for help as the wild weather that began yesterday continued to lash the state.

Fallen power lines and trees were behind the majority of the calls to the State Emergency Service, and the weather bureau warns the wind hasn't finished yet.

Senior Forecaster Richard Carlyon at the Bureau of Meteorology says wind gusts of around 90km/h will hit the state on Wednesday, with gusts of up to 100 km/h in the alps.

"We have a severe weather warning for damaging winds across the ranges and along the coast," Mr Carlyon said.

He said Mt Hotham can also expect gusts of around 100km/h.

The ski resorts are expecting snow today down to 1400 metres as cold, unstable air crosses the region.

Swells along the Bass Strait coastline from South Australia to Lakes Entrance are expected to peak at 7m as gale force winds gust through the area, according to the bureau.

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