A tragic incident occurred in Gellibrand, Victoria, where a man died and a woman was critically injured after a tree fell on their car due to severe winds.

Tim Wiebusch, chief operations officer of the SES, reported that volunteers are tirelessly working to clear fallen trees and assist the community.

Residents have been cautioned to remain vigilant for fallen trees and debris, as power outages are likely in the coming days.

Severe weather warnings are also in effect for parts of Western Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania, indicating widespread impact from the ongoing storm.

Victoria experienced wind gusts reaching 135 km/h at Wilsons Promontory and 128 km/h at Mount Buller, contributing to the hazardous conditions.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warnings for the lower half of Victoria, predicting that damaging winds would continue throughout the day.

Meteorologist Angus Hines indicated that wind gusts of 90 km/h could persist across much of Victoria from Friday to Sunday, raising concerns for further damage.

Powercor and AusNet are currently working to restore electricity to approximately 15,000 customers affected by the storm.

Emergency services confirmed that the male driver died at the scene, while the female passenger was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.

The accident took place around 1:30 PM on Main Road near Berrys Road, trapping both occupants inside the vehicle.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of severe weather affecting southeastern Australia, with emergency services receiving over 635 calls for assistance related to downed trees and building damage.

In total, more than 1,000 emergency call-outs were reported across multiple states in southern Australia due to wild weather conditions.